Belfast – 8 feature lighting masts have been installed along the east side of Donegall Place
Image by infomatique
As part of the “Belfast; Streets Ahead” public realm improvement project, 8 feature lighting masts have been installed along the east side of Donegall Place. Each mast weighs approximately 3.5 tonnes and approximately 1 tonne is attributable to the copper. They are 16.2m in height and the foundation for each mast has approximately 17 tonnes of reinforced high strength structural concrete.
These feature lighting masts have been designed to create a significant impact on the street while taking in to account the historic setting. They have been influenced by Belfast’s industrial heritage, the linen industry and their maritime traditions.
While the masts have been inspired by Belfast in many ways, they have also been engineered and built in Northern Ireland using innovative modern techniques combined with traditional craftsmanship.
The position, shape, size and material have all been carefully thought through as part of the overall composition of Donegall Place and the visually important connection with City Hall. They are located to the east side of the street and help to provide a defined zone in which the necessary street ‘clutter’ can be arranged like seating, litter bins, signage etc…
The Masts are located on the east side of Donegall Place in the vicinity of the following premises:
* 1. Phones 4 U
* 2. Marks and Spencer
* 3. WH Smyth
* 4. Boundary at Jane Norman/ River Island
* 5. Vodafone
* 6. Beaverbrook’s
* 7. Body Shop
* 8. Lipsy
The material cladding choice for these masts is directly influenced by the surrounding cityscape and in particular the copper cladding to the prominent dome of the City Hall that perhaps ‘dominates the skyline south down Donegall Place.
As a result of exposure to the elements, particularly in a humid atmosphere or in areas of frequent rainfall, radical colour changes often take place in copper with iridescent pinks, oranges and reds interspersed with brassy yellows, blues, greens and purples. As a result, they became a dull copper colour after the first few weeks.
The long-term atmospheric exposure will generally result in the formation of a naturally protective gray-green patina, which is seen on some of Belfast’s fine civic buildings such as the dome of Belfast City Hall.
The Masts offer a base for the further integration of artwork in to the public environment. As a result, each mast will have the name of a significant ship that was built in Belfast, thus linking to City’s maritime heritage and providing a tourist attraction for visitors to the city centre.
Each mast will have a banner, which will celebrate Northern Ireland’s industrial maritime heritage and commemorate one of the great White Star Line ships build in Belfast by Harland and Wolff.
The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has provided a financial contribution the maritime banners.
Names of the vessels are as follows in order from start of Donegal Place from City Hall;
* Titanic
* Olympic
* Oceanic
* Britannic
* Laurentic
* Celtic
* Nomadic
* Traffic