PROJECT PROFILE
SHANKILL SHARED WOMEN’S CENTRE, BELFAST
SHANKILL SHARED WOMEN’S CENTRE SECURED SOCIAL/COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OF THE YEAR (OVER £2M) FOR P&K MCKAIGUE AT THE CEF CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2024… CREATING A WELCOMING, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE SHARED SPACE
A £7.79m purpose-built space for women and their families from all communities, Shankill Shared Women’s Centre opened near an interface area on Lanark Way, Belfast in June 2024. Creating a welcoming, safe and accessible shared space, the Centre is one of three PEACE IV shared-space projects in Belfast funded by the EU, Department for Communities in NI, Department of Rural and Community Development in Ireland and Belfast City Council. Appointed as main contractor, P&K McKaigue Ltd liaised closely with Belfast City Council, Todd Architects and the Shankill Shared Women’s Centre to carry out all designs and specifications to their complete satisfaction.
Successfully completed, the centre was named Social/Community Construction Project of the Year (over £2m) at the CEF Construction Excellence Awards 2024. Works involved the provision of a three- storey, multi-purpose shared space comprising a welcome space, multipurpose main hall, bespoke childcare social enterprise, sensory room, education and training areas, health and wellbeing rooms, staff offices and meeting space, youth units and peace-building network rooms. The building is designed around a central external courtyard and is largely two storeys with a three-storey tower strategically positioned to announce the main entrance. The external façade is clad in clay facing brick with areas of cladding
and glazing facing into the courtyard. A high level of finish was achieved, culminating in the design around the central external courtyard. Steel pergolas enhance the courtyard with plants sown to grow strategically. Areas of angled glazing are a feature of the building, which has been designed to create privacy for surrounding residents’ homes. Also included in the project were the provision of associated car and cycle parking, soft and hard landscaping, and site and ancillary works. Previously occupied by mill buildings and latterly used as a bonfire ground, the brownfield site sits close to a peace wall dividing the Shankill and Falls communities.
“The overwhelming opinion is now one of pride and appreciation of the new community asset.”
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