From the creation of some of the world’s most famous ships to the invention of ejector seats, Northern Ireland innovates and sends ideas out into the world. We wish to celebrate and advertise this with reference to the industrial architecture that has made such achievements possible. In particular, we reference an architectural innovation originating in the city: the Belfast Truss. We were inspired by the barrel-vaulted industrial and station architectures of the 19th century, whose exquisite ceilings far surpass their basic duty to provide shelter. The warmth of the timber combined with the delicacy of the structural elements create spaces that are incredibly beautiful. On top of this formal beauty is an elegant attitude to resources: the Belfast trusses were made from the leftover wood from the boat-building industry as they only required short timber sections. At the time this made economic sense as timber was largely imported to Belfast from overseas. Now of course it resonates with an ethical attitude to the earth’s finite resources as we look to find ways of building that contribute to reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. By using the same latticed structure made up of short sections, Built: East could largely be made from the timber offcuts of the construction and furniture industries, reducing the environmental impact and cost of the build.

The ad-hoc flexibility at ground level of Built: East combined with its tall and open volume invites continual rearrangement and adjustment to suit the requirements of the school trips, street food festivals, theatre groups, craft workshops, musical performances, yoga classes, film screenings and as yet unimagined happenings that we hope will occupy the pavilion. The proposed structure incorporates timber elements that require various levels of skill to create. While the undulating floor plane can be put together by a relatively unskilled team of enthusiastic participants, the frame requires a higher level of building expertise, and the truss roof demands the involvement of skilled craftsmen. For this reason it is hoped that the structure can result from the collaboration of community and student groups without taking away work from professional craftspeople. Creating an opportunity for enthusiasts to learn from Belfast’s most skilled makers puts into action the core principle of Built: East to elevate and advertise the city’s creativity.