TODD and Snøhetta reveal plan for Belfast Stories rejuvenation after winning major competition

A new design scheme from Snøhetta and led by the local firm TODD Architects in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been revealed after the firm won an international competition to transform a 5,000-square-meter (54,000 sq. ft.) site near the city’s historic center in November 2023. 

Belfast Stories is the lead project featured in the £850 million ($1.07 billion USD) Belfast Region City Deal from 2018. Snøhetta will be working locally to deliver a new landmark destination that's born out of a beloved Art Deco former Bank of Ireland building from 1931.

Inside, as is the intention, Belfast residents will share their personal stories of life in the city. The project also helps support Northern Ireland's film industry as the host of Northern Ireland Screen’s digital film archive and several other organizations dedicated to the medium. New York's Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) will design its visitor experience while Gillespies will handle the landscape design.

Snøhetta's Robert Greenwood said at the outset: "We are delighted to be appointed alongside TODD Architects and Gleeds to bring this truly transformative landmark project to life. We recognise the building and its adjacent site have the potential to become a bold architectural statement that Belfast can be proud of. We share in Belfast City Council’s vision and collectively offer the insight and experience to create a space that will improve the vibrancy and aesthetic of this part of the city, but we also recognise how excellent architecture can deliver community benefits and have lasting cultural impact."

His colleague Daniel Berlin added it would become a new "orientation point for everyone in the city." Snøhetta's project page for Belfast Stories stated that construction is expected to wrap up by 2030 with the aim of hosting approximately 700,000 visitors per year. The project costs are reportedly equal to £100 million, or about $126 million USD. A second public consultation will be held in Belfast until February 23rd, 2025.