MAC Centre belfast

[hypnotoad24]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

What a fantastic night. The interior space is wonderful and concept is fantastic. The MAC ate happy for people to simply use the ground floor as a shortcut into St Anne's as well as a place for a coffee or lunch.

Excellent news. Out of interest, where is the other entrance? Is it onto the street behind the cathedral?

[belfastuniguy]

Originally Posted by hypnotoad24

Excellent news. Out of interest, where is the other entrance? Is it onto the street behind the cathedral?

Yeah opens onto Exchange Street beside the cathedral and University of Ulster. I also think there is a third entrance which opens in front of PureGym.

[BTH]

Truly fantastic building, the interior is stunnning. Proper architecture.

Article about MAC in the Architectural Review:

http://www.architectural-review.com/...contentID=5098

More general article in The Telegraph praising MAC and The Lyric and in passing slating basically all other recent architecture in the city. She particularly criticizes (rightly imo) Titanic Belfast which I have to say shocked me with it's utter tackiness and crappy detailing, especially internally.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/a...-Troubles.html

[belfastuniguy]

A reputation for architectural underachievement? Clearly the writer didn't see some of the grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings around Belfast. Seems to have a case of arse and head up it.

[ianapas]

I totally agree with Ellis. belfastuniquy, I think he is referring to buildings probably built after the second world war hence the use of "long maintained" of which there are very few buildings of repute until now. The Lyric and the Mac really are the only two buildings with international reputation since Francis Pym's Ulster museum extension. Hackett Hall Mcknight, take a bow as a local architect who has produced something truly special.

[plank007]

Ridiculous article. Makes Belfast sound like it's some sort of dysfunctional city. The ring road/westlink around Belfast city centre is typical of just about every other UK city. Go to Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Coventry, Southampton etc etc and you'll see far worse examples of city centres being divided up by a ring road. Ridiculous. Also I think the stuff we've built in the last 15 years is in my opinion of a far higher standard than the stuff being built in Brum, Leeds or anywhere else outside of London.

[citybus]

For a similar sort of article this piece by author Owen Hatherley is worth a read. Doesnt touch on the mac though because it wasn't completed when the article was written

http://urbantrawl.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Belfast

[belfastuniguy]

I'm more inclined to agree with most of what that article says. At least he addresses why some areas look as they do and why some buildings look 'robust'. I think people forget that buildings clad in glass was unthinkable until a few years ago and even now we can't have shiny modern police stations, court houses and government buildings.

It's all very well for Glasgow, Birmingham and London to have exceptional examples of architecture but they have higher inward investment and thus can attract 'showcase' architecture.

I don't anyone is deluded to think that Belfast is a mecca for architectural brilliance but then again neither are many places in the UK or Ireland, a few examples in some cities but hardly a common feature. New developments such as MediaCity is poorly executed with some horrendous designs, Dublin is full of cornflake box architecture with almost nothing innovative in the slightest and other UK cities are no better.


I do want to see more innovative and striking designs put forward for Belfast and I really want developers and the council to engage with people like the Forum for Alternative Belfast who have some great ideas that could really make the city more cohesive and much more pleasant. But lets look at reality, you have a fantastic modern office development in front of the Waterfront and it's unfinished because there isn't a tenant to fill it, same with the neighbouring building, same with The Boat. Developers in Belfast aren't going to spend more money on something exceptional when its going to lose them money and deliver little to no return, that's the reality of property development. Add to that a large number of NI developers are now bankrupt with projects that held so much potential, such as Sirrocco, dead in the water and unlikely to be progressed for years.

[Conor]

I know I say this a lot, but considering Belfast is about a 3rd of the size of most other UK core cities, isolated from the mainland and just recovering from decades of what was practically civil war it's pretty incredible what we actually do have. Victoria Sq, The Arc, Titanic Experience, MAC, Waterfront Hall, BOAT, Bar Library, Ulster Museum, Soloist, Lyric, countless smaller developments and renovations... even OBEL tower. I think Belfast is underrated as being one of the UK cities that produces mainly great city centre contemporary architecture.

Then there's all the old stuff. The city hall would be an icon of any UK city (Yes, that's including London)

[belfastuniguy]

Fantastic!!

Belfast to host Warhol collection

Andy Warhol's world-famous collection is coming to Northern Ireland for the first time.



The major exhibition will begin on February 8 at the MAC in Belfast in partnership with the Tate art gallery in London, which owns the touring collection.

Gillian Mitchell, director of programmes at the MAC, said she was thrilled.

Three galleries will display some of Warhol's most popular images including Chairman Mao, Hamburger, Cow Wallpaper and references to the famous nightclub Studio 54 in New York City.

Warhol's work has inspired more events at the MAC ranging from a Studio 54-themed disco night featuring an original resident DJ from the club, Nicky Siano, to a live theatre production of some of his film work by the Gob Squad.

The exhibition will run until April 28 and is free to the public, although live events are ticketed.

Among the range of sponsors is public funder the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Chief executive Roisin McDonough said: "The venue has offered a wealth of opportunities to participate in and enjoy the arts and, with an exciting programme planned to kick start 2013, the MAC is sure to build on its success and will carry on attracting people from throughout Northern Ireland and beyond."

She added: "The Arts Council's £5.25 million capital investment in the MAC will continue to stimulate the economy here and provide a more attractive cultural tourism offering."

Since its opening last April, the MAC has seen more than 220,000 visitors to date.


Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...#ixzz2Iob1JTdr