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SPIREBLOG 1 - THE SPIRE OF HOPE

JUNE 2001 - AN ENQUIRY AND FOREWARNING

Immediately after the very first service which I conducted in the Cathedral following my appointment as Dean, Sir Donald Murray, a Past Chorister,and former long-serving Cathedral Board member, warmly welcomed me to my new position and with the sort of direct look which I have now come to associate with High Court Judges, he asked, “Mr. Dean, when are you going to do the spire?” I immediately entered a plea of ignorance. In another place this might not have been received so charitably.

Spire building significantly had not figured in any form of interview prior to my appointment. But before long, and in particular in preparation for the centenary of the consecration of the Cathedral in 2004, I was made aware that from the outset of planning the Cathedral in 1896 there had been many designs for a spire, tower or campanile to complete the building. All of them were ruled out at various stages in the Cathedral’s history because of lack of funds or due to the geology of the site - the ground underlying the Cathedral would not support the additional weight that a stone built structure would place on the Cathedral’s already stressed foundations. However there was in the roof space over the transepts of the Cathedral enough steel work installed in the mid-fifties to bear the load of a stone spire.

The attempts which had been made were however inspirational and can only evoke a sense of what might have been. Sir Charles Nicholson’s water colour of his tower to complete the Cathedral is in stark contract to the fleshe designed by John McGeagh some sixty years later. And mercifully the whole debate was not without a sense of humour over the years, and hanging on my office wall is an architectural drawing showing the Cathedral surmounted by a large tea pot as a tribute to the hospitality of the Mothers’ Union Branch here.

THE SYNERGY OF FRIENDSHIP

Back in September 1954 amongst the mass of first formers who passed through the gates of Inst (The Royal Belfast Academical Institution) were Ken Patterson and myself. Over the years which followed our schooldays the only occasions on which we saw each other were chance encounters in airport lounges. As the Senior Partner in WH Stephens, a well known Belfast surveying practice, Ken seemed almost always to be on the move. As members of the Cathedral Community our contacts were more frequent.

WH Stephens have been the Cathedral’s consulting surveyors since the building was first seriously discussed. In 2002 - 2004, Stephens were involved in two major projects which neighbour the Cathedral. The refurbishment of the former College of Art, now part of the University of Ulster was getting underway to our north side across Academy Street. To the west beyond Exchange Street, the St Anne’s Court development was being discussed and planned. In both developments long-established friends were involved who took great care to consult with the Cathedral regarding their projects and the possible impact these would have on this iconic building.

In this matrix of discussions there was a very significant stake holder and influence. Laganside Corporation had been established by government to enable the development of the areas fronting and adjacent to the Lagan River. Without a doubt this agency led by Kyle Alexander has made more impact upon the city than any other ‘quango’. Its work is all around us. Its results are tangible and of high quality. Laganside under Kyle proved to be the catalyst for this major attempt to raise a spire over the Cathedral.


2003 - 2004 - A CENTENARY AND A COMPETITION

Our concern that the Cathedral could be dwarfed by the new developments around the building led discussions back to a spire or tower. With the help and support of Kyle Alexander and Suzy Quail of Laganside, the funding was provided for a two-stage competition amongst young architects through out Ireland for a design to complete the Cathedral.

WH Stephens under Ken produced the specification together with a statement from myself and the Cathedral Board giving our views on what we felt the Cathedral represented. The new addition should reflect the Cathedral’s witness to God’s love for the city and wider community which the Cathedral serves.

We were most fortunate in the panel which we drafted together. Monsignor Tom Toner from our sister cathedral of St Peter’s was about to undertake the most massive renovation in the history of that building. The Archdeacon of Connor, Stephen McBride had taken his primary degree in architecture and his doctoral thesis was in the relationship between belief and church architecture. From the Royal Society of Ulster Architects came Robert McKinstry who had worked on the Cathedral with John McGeagh, and the RSUA President, Kieran Mackle. Suzy Quail represented Laganside. Ken Patterson, Alan Martin, the secretary of the Cathedral Board and myself as Chairman completed the panel.

Fifteen exciting and innovative concept design proposals were received from young architects all over Ireland, reflecting the Cathedral’s vision that the proposed design for the spire would be made of modern lightweight materials, but in keeping with the existing building and its dominant features. The entries ranged from a free standing tower in an extreme Scandinavian style, to a spire of mesh fronted on each of four side with large crosses, and to a circular globe style adornment. In the end it was the quite radical style of Niall Gault of Box Architects which obtained the support of the panel.

I confess to being surprised at Robert McKinstry’s enthusiasm for this entry. I had expected that someone like Robert who had been so intimately involved with t he award winning restoration of the Grand Opera House, and the Ballance House at Glenavy, would be somewhat more conservative in his choice. However, he maintained gently and persuasively that a Cathedral should reflect the various ages in which it was developed.

SUMMER 2004 - RESPONSE

Commenting on the design when it was selected, Colin Conn, chief designer and manager of Box Architects said, “With so much building in that area there is competition to be noticed, but this spire design will certainly signpost the Cathedral and place it head and shoulders above the rest. We are delighted to be involved with such an iconic piece of 21st century architecture on the skyline of Belfast and honoured to be able to add the finishing touch to this magnificent building”.

The contemporary stainless steel spire will be able to be viewed from the inside and outside of the cathedral.

Colin explained, “The spire will puncture the roof of the cathedral allowing natural light to flood around the spire and into the choir area. It will have a glass surround and when you stand under the spire it will actually appear as if the spire is floating.

“The spire will taper upwards like a needle and due to the stainless steel used in its design it will be illuminated and spotted from miles around.”

Kyle Alexander, Chief Executive, Laganside Corporation said: “The Cathedral Quarter has undergone significant regeneration in the last few years and the Spire of Hope will further enhance the area’s cultural status. We were delighted to have the opportunity to support this architectural project.

"The Spire’s completion will be symbolic of the renewal of the Cathedral Quarter and outstanding architectural and design work that is currently being done to Belfast and in particular the Laganside area.”

EXPLORING A DREAM

The announcement of the winner of the competition was only the start of a series of processes. Firstly, the architects and engineers had to take Niall’s concept and see how it would work for real. A number of feasibility studies were undertaken. What wind strengths would the structure resist? How could a 100 year maintenance free target be achieved? How could we ensure that the structure didn’t act like a giant tuning fork emanating sound into the Cathedral? All this took time - and money, even though several of our partners worked at cost.

The Cathedral Board then had to assess whether or not to take the matter further than the initial study. Could the expenditure incurred in exploring this assessment to a fully costed project be justified? And hanging out and about all this were the planning authorities and in particular the Environmental Heritage Service due tot he Cathedral being a listed building.

TEAM WORK

The project team was headed by Ken Patterson. Other members are Colin Conn, Robert Jamison (architects), Glen Kerr, a structural engineering partner in Taylor and Boyd and Gary Dudley of Pattons of Ballymena who had been selected to manage the related building and site work required. Again, the crossing of lives. Gary’s parents were members of the parish in which I served my only curacy and he was a member of a scout unit which I was heavily involved with. With his experience in Africa, Dubai and Canada, once more I knew we were in good hands.

The uniqueness of The Spire of Hope led to the engagement of Whitbybird of London as our advisors in structural engineering. In particular we have been well guided by Anton Sawiki.

The actual contract for the manufacture of the spire brought us into a contact with Tuchschmid from Frauenfeld, near Zurich in Switzerland. The team there is headed by architect Walter Luessi and engineer Thomas Speier. This company has immense experience in stainless steel and other prefabricated structures. It has a most impressive portfolio of very large scale projects in Switzerland. It also completed the work in 2006 for the Alpine House at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, and its other major projects in the UK include a bridge in Liverpool, a spire and attendant work at the Millenium Dome redevelopment.

PROJECT TIMELINE

2004

November - the design team started work to take the concept a further exploratory stage.

2005

January - the Cathedral Board considered the design team’s report and agreed that the team should proceed to a final design stage.

1st March - A letter of support for the Spire was sent from the Laganside Corporation to the planning authorities.

9th March - Planning application lodged.

19th May - Presentation to Board by design team.

28th October - The project was offered for tender.

14th November - Tenders were received.

28th November - Notification to Health & Safety Executive.

2006

January - First meeting with planning authorities.

February - Note on meeting forwarded to planning authorities outlining areas of agreement and issues to be resolved.

July - Pattons joined our team

1st August - Final meeting of many with the planning authorities.

17th August - Planning approval granted.

DECISION TIME

29th AUGUST 2006 - Ken Patterson and a team representing the various design and engineering companies involved made an extensive presentation to the Cathedral Board. The estimated costs were £852,000 - about three times more than the original starting estimate.

However, we were aware that Laganside was being wound up at the end of March 2007, and if we were to access the remainder of the funding £100K (less the cost of the competition and some initial work estimates), we had been offered we had to proceed without further delay. It was definitely make your mind up time and even a month’s adjournment was out of the question due to the amount of work our project team would have to achieve in order to place the contract and ensure a satisfactory completion of the same for Laganside.

The Bishop of Connor - now the Archbishop of Armagh - Most Rev. Alan Harper could not be present - but in a note he gave the project his support, writing, “It is my view that we should endeavour to complete the project and raise or endeavour to realise the moneys required. Certainly it would be a grave disadvantage to miss out on the Laganside support”.

The motion to go ahead and build the Spire of Hope was proposed by Board member, Phyllis Forster, and seconded by John McCalister.

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