Waterfront Hall

Belfast Waterfront is a conference and entertainment centre in Lanyon Place, a redeveloped area beside the River Lagan. Local architects Robinson McIlwaine designed the circular building, which stands near Belfast City Hall. The dome is covered in copper sheeting that will slowly turn green. Inside are two performance spaces: a large auditorium and a smaller studio. Bars and a restaurant sit between the two, with the main hall seating over two thousand people. The hall hosts plays, operas, musicals and pantomimes every year. It is the main venue for the Belfast Festival at Queen’s and for concerts by the Ulster Orchestra. Major acts have recorded there, including Atomic Kitten and Planxty. Television shows such as Britain’s Got Talent have held auditions in the building. It has also welcomed pop stars like Carrie Underwood and Westlife’s Shane Filan. Visitors enter a spacious foyer with wide corridors leading to the auditorium. The smaller studio has three hundred and eighty seats and is used for intimate performances. The copper dome’s patina will one day match the green roofs of nearby Victorian buildings. Outside, Lanyon Place opens onto the riverfront walkway with views of the city skyline.