PROJECT
THE PAPER EXCHANGE, BELFAST
OBIN SPECIALIST JOINERY USED A MIX OF TECHNOLOGY AND GOOD OLD CRAFTSMAN TALENT TO CREATE STRIKING FEATURES FOR THE RECEPTION AREA AT THE PAPER EXCHANGE… SPECIALIST JOINERY
T he first feature that catches the eye of anyone going into the The Paper Exchange building in Belfast is the striking reception desk in Scandi style built by Obin Specialist Joinery. The 125-year-old family business of makers from Portadown also created the 40m 2 wall panelling that adorns the reception area. The company worked closely with the team from Todd Architects and used a mixture of computer-based modelling and traditional, quality craftsmanship to sculpt the fluid shapes for the desk in oak veneer and design the wall panelling in solid timber, all sustainably sourced. “We have to accept the tolerances of CNC machining when it comes to wood, but I always say the best thing we have in terms of quality control is our fingertips,” explained Pre-Construction Director Darren McCrystal. “We can feel the quality of the work, how the joint lines up, how smooth a curve is. We do have CNC equipment but pride ourselves on being craftsmen.
It is all about the skill to meet our quality standards.” Darren and the Obin team went as far as selecting solid wood for the panelling from different batches to avoid any patterns and achieve a great variation of colours to complement the design. LOGISTICS Darren also commented that, as in any large project, coordination with all the other trades was crucial to meet deadlines. To make the process a bit easier, for example, the team at Obin Specialist Joinery was able to manufacture the wall panels in such a way that two ends of each wall were removable, to allow the plasters to come in and finish their work faster. The panels were then reattached to the plastered walls. “There was no storage in this building, so we had to time deliveries correctly and carefully sequence the work with the other finishing trades, which meant being in
constant contact with the other teams,” he said.
BELFAST’S TRUE POTENTIAL The Pre-Construction Director and the team couldn’t be more satisfied with the final look of the reception. “As a company, we are interested in providing high-end bespoke joinery and buildings like The Paper Exchange is the kind of project that really excited us,” Darren added. Darren also sees large projects such as this one as a sign of Belfast’s rejuvenation as a place for substantial investment. “Historically, money has been spent in London and Dublin, and Belfast has been a place to avoid. But now big players are starting to invest here with phenomenal projects from major architectural firms, and we are very happy to be part of it,” he commented. “Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of working on such a fantastic project here. It is great to see Belfast being finally open for business.”
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