24/10/23
Architecture Night celebrated all entrants to this year’s RSUA and JP Corry Early Career Architects Design Competition.
This year, the RSUA/JP Corry Early Career Architects Design Competition, challenged Early Career Architects to propose creative ideas for the repurposing of a classic red phone box in the centre of Belfast. As part of the BT ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme, RSUA has adopted a telephone kiosk on North Street at the junction with Waring Street.
RSUA and JP Corry were pleased to announce ‘RSUA Design Box’ by Julian Manev in collaboration with James Boyd and Erl Johnston as the winner of this year’s competition, ‘Please replace the handset and try again’.
The winning submission impressed the judges “due to the clarity of the proposal, its simple beauty, its consideration of the delivery, its understanding of the challenges of the location and its awareness of the great potential to be a collaborative project with the creative people and organisations based in the Cathedral Quarter.”
The winning entry proposed that the phone box transformed into a captivating gallery space showcasing collaborations with various institutions.
The proposal introduces a new four-columned architectural object which serves as a new public display vessel – turning the K6 phonebox into a small gallery, a vitrine, a cabinet of curiosities. The core purpose of the phonebox is therefore retained – communication. Whilst the original allowed people to communicate at long distances through the telephone inside, the ‘Design Box’ allows a new outward public communication of design throughout all hours of the day and night.
The project will be delivered in partnership with Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District over the coming months.
The project Belfast Calling by Alex Knowles was awarded Highly Commended by the judges.
Click here for all supporting text for Belfast Calling
Lost Connections by Rebecca McConnell, Edward McKeown and Aidan Cunningham
Museum by Jordan Beattie and Sean Crilly
Boogie Box: Red Revival by Lois Shannon
Good Friday Mausoleum by Ross Kirker
Glas House by Kerry Watton
