CITY QUAYS 2 
Country: UK, Northern Ireland
Location: Belfast
Purpose: office space
Main Contractor: LLP
Architect:  Grimshaw Architects
Our contribution: Performing static, fabrication and site project curtain walls.
Complete: 2017

City Quays 2 - the home of new media and technology center in the heart of Belfast.
Development of City Quays 2 means another addition to a commercial portfolio of Grimshaw with the building in the heart of Northern Ireland’s capital. At a cost of £ 18 million, they managed to create eight floors of class A office space which is occupied by media and technology tenants, including broadcaster ITV and radio station U105.

PROJECT
The City Quays 2 building is located on the quay of the former ferry terminal and was the first element of the newly planned square. The building is designed in a way that align the global expertise of the Grimshaw architectural studio with the specific needs of Belfast. The simple form made it possible to focus on high-quality facades on the office floors above the representative ground floor.
The range of durable finishing materials has been selected to ensure the highest durability in the coastal environment. Considerations of durability have determined the widespread use of anodized aluminum and embedding it in a carefully detailed system of extruded wings and laser cut brise-soleil. These components added a simple layered design and added depth to the curtain walls, creating shadowy patterns and emulating a play of lights and reflections that actively responded to solar orientation.

DEVELOPMENT
City Quays is a part of a large-scale £ 275m project to use Belfast's waterfront for mixed-use construction and revitalization planned by Grimshaw. New offices, flats, hotels and recreational facilities began to emerge in the vicinity of City Quays 2 shortly after its commissioning. City Quays 2 and the development plan for its surroundings strengthen the harmonization of the city center with the characteristic buildings of the Lagan River embankment. City Quays 2 plays a key role in shaping Belfast's landscape as it transforms from a post-industrial open-air museum to a bustling city.