FITZROY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, a B+ Listed Building, is located on the corner of University Street and Rugby Road in Belfast.  In 2012 client representatives formulated a brief which acknowledged that there had been minimal upgrading works carried out over the years and that the complex was looking tired and uninteresting.

Our client requested that the Church complex would provide a sense of place, an environment  of  welcome, that contributed to the identity of the Church and which provided a sense of belonging to, and relationship with, the community it serves.  The vision of the Church included a connection with the wider community and to provide facilities to enable growth, through a further diverse range of activities which were difficult to facilitate in the existing complex.

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Issues which had to be addressed included uneconomical layout and use of space, inadequate facilities including kitchens, toilets, storage etc, poor lighting and heating and extensive problems with water ingress, therefore priority needs included upgrading of the existing halls, provision of additional meeting rooms,  and social/reception space, open for all to see.

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It was important in the design development to ensure that the beauty of the existing Church building was retained and highlighted.  Features of the Listed Building were incorporated within the reconfigured ground floor layout of the halls.  The stonework gable of the Church was exposed when the new widened corridor was created to link the Church and Halls and this space has become an area to display artwork.  A new Welcome Area, facing onto Rugby Road provides an entrance to the Church and Halls and has become a focal point for visitors and Church members.