Titanic Quarter



Few cities are as fortunate as Belfast to possess a development opportunity of the scale or quality of Titanic Quarter.  
Located on a 185-acre site known 
as QueenÕs Island within walking 
The Titanic Quarter distance of Belfast City Centre, 
will be the biggest Titanic Quarter, with its one linear 
mile of water frontage, is one of 
thing to hit	EuropeÕs largest urban waterfront redevelopments. 
Northern Ireland 

in a generation.	Co-promoted by Titanic Quarter Ltd and Belfast Harbour Commissioners, the site is centred on former shipbuilding land where vessels such as the Titanic, Olympic and Canberra were designed, built and launched Ð some of the most innovative and complicated engineering projects ever undertaken. 
Titanic Spirit 
Today that same spirit of 
Abercorn Basin, Titanic Quarter 

enthusiasm to achieve success on a global scale is driving the development of Titanic Quarter; creating a new urban hub for Belfast with international investment opportunities in the residential, leisure, office and knowledge economy sectors.   

Helping recreate that ÔTitanicÕ spirit is lead architect Eric Kuhne, whose practice CivicArt has master planned and designed major waterfront regeneration projects across four continents.  
The aim is to create a pattern of parks, streets and gardens with localised retail, healthcare and educational facilities, building a community centred on genuine social interaction and shared values 
Ð a new focal point for Belfast. 
According to Mike Smith, Chief Executive of Titanic Quarter Ltd, the regeneration scheme represents a fresh start for the city: 
ÒBelfast is a special place and the Titanic Quarter will be the biggest thing to hit Northern Ireland in a generation. It is symbolic of the new Northern Ireland and we view it as an opportunity to create something very significant that everybody can be proud of.Ó 

Titanic Proportions 
Titanic Quarter is a multi billion, once-in-a-generation development opportunity that will evolve over 15 years.  The ambition is to create commercial and residential space for over 35,000 people, including: 
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Up to 5,000 apartments 

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2m sq ft of business, office, Research and Development floor space to complement Belfast City Centre. 

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1.4m sq ft commercial space. 

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450,000 sq ft of leisure development including restaurants, hotels, cafŽs, bars and health & fitness clubs.  ³ 



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³ Titanic Quarter continued... 
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The 24-acre Northern Ireland Science Park project that has already attracted investors such as Microsoft and GE Healthcare. 

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Campus style educational facilities Ð work on a new 16,000 student campus, Belfast Metropolitan College, has already begun. 

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A dedicated cruise liner berth to support BelfastÕs growing reputation as a major northern European port of call. 




Phase One 
Phase One of the development is already underway.  QueenÕs Road has been realigned to maximise space and the initial batch of apartments is being built, along with the 150,000 sq ft Gateway Office, the schemeÕs first commercial development. 
The first phase of residential development is ÔThe ArcÕ at Abercorn Basin comprising 475 apartment homes ranging from one-bedroom apartments to penthouses. 
Belfast Metropolitan College decided to relocate its new campus plus 18,000 full and part-time students to a new bespoke facility by 2010 and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will move to a new £30m development beside the Gateway building. 

Phase Two 
Northern IrelandÕs Environment Minister announced in October 2007 that outline planning permission had been granted for Phase Two of Titanic Quarter. The scheme is the largest application ever dealt with by the Northern Ireland Planning Service and will provide approximately three million sq ft of new floor-space in the centre of Belfast. Phase Two will incorporate a landmark Titanic Signature Project, as well as additional residential, office, leisure and public realm space. 
It is a major confidence boost for the economy and the building industry 
Environment Minister Arlene Foster said: 
ÒThe development of this 16.5 acre site, including the restoration of the Titanic and Olympic slipways, represents a further step in the development of the City. It is a major confidence boost for the economy and the building industry which will provide long term economic benefits to the whole of Northern Ireland.Ó 


Maritime Heritage 
To harness BelfastÕs pride in its maritime past, Titanic Quarter Ltd, Belfast Harbour Commissioners and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) are pursuing a major project to construct a landmark Titanic Signature building at the head of the Titanic slipway. 
The project will be a major international tourist attraction and focal point for leisure activities Ð a concept not unfamiliar to QueenÕs Island. Before the arrival of the shipyards the area was BelfastÕs pleasure park, a public space complete with a Crystal Palace exhibition and BelfastÕs first zoo. 


The Titanic Signature project will help return QueenÕs Island to BelfastÕs citizens and attract a new generation of visitors keen to discover the history behind the worldÕs most famous vessel. 


Speed of Light 
In the knowledge-economy, communication is largely based around the Internet and Titanic Quarter offers one of the most sophisticated telecommunication infrastructures in Europe. 
Titanic Quarter is also the first part of the UK or Ireland to adopt Ôi-burstÕ, a revolutionary portable, wireless broadband system that enables users to access the Internet or stream pictures live whilst on the move.  The system has numerous applications Ð not least as a production tool used by the increasing number of film crews who have been making their way to Belfast. 
BelfastÕs shipyards and engineering works make it one of the most successful cities of the industrial revolution. Titanic Quarter has the potential to help make sure that Belfast is just as successful in the Knowledge Revolution. 


At the Movies 
As mentioned, one new industry adding to BelfastÕs general sense of economic resurgence is the cityÕs growing popularity as a destination for film-makers. 
In the last few years several big names have made the journey including Tim Robbins of Shawshank Redemption fame who shot ÔThe Secret Life of WordsÕ, on an oil rig moored off the northern end of Titanic Quarter and Lord Richard Attenborough who filmed ÔClosing the RingÕ. 
In 2006 Tom HanksÕ production company Playtone and Walden Media filmed the $50m childrenÕs fantasy ÔCity of EmberÕ (written by Jeanne Duprau) entirely within Northern Ireland.  
Much of the shoot was based in Titanic Quarter in the cavernous paint hall once used by the Harland & Wolff shipyard.  
All of the above films have utilized the Ôi-burstÕ wireless broadband system tested at Titanic Quarter, i-burst enables users to access the internet or stream pictures live whist on the move, giving producers and directors much more flexibility and access when shooting on location.  
With almost 20 major film and television projects coming to Northern Ireland in the last four years and a $24m funding injection promised by the Northern Ireland Government, it may be that HollywoodÕs fascination with all things Titanic may just be about to take a different form. 
Titanic Quarter is helping to recast Belfast as a modern metropolitan hub, a home for both indigenous entrepreneurs and overseas investors.  In the 21st Century economy, the ambition is to create a new urban space and up to 20,000 new jobs, restoring Queens IslandÕs reputation as a worldwide centre of commercial excellence. 
Web. www.titanicquarter.com Tel.  028 9076 6300 


Phase Two of Titanic Quarter, the impressive Titanic Slipways and Titanic Signature Project 81