Grand Opera House Stairs

Following the completion of the £12.2 Million Grand Opera House Restoration, Design ID worked on behalf of Iconic Stairs on the project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Department for Communities, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Foyle Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and The Wolfson Foundation. The design of the foyer and public spaces has been totally reimagined, with a new bar installed in the restored 1980 glass extension overhanging Great Victoria Street, as well as beautifully refurbished stalls and circle bars. As part of the project, the Theatre’s technical infrastructure has been upgraded and a permanent heritage exhibition installed telling the fascinating story of the Theatre’s 125-year history. Alongside Iconic Stairs we carried out the static and dynamic structural design of the the feature helical concrete stairs and glass balustrade, to make a stunning centre piece in the heart of one of Belfast’s most well known and loved buildings. Detailed analysis allowed us to refine the structural thickness of the concrete stair to just 175mm, reducing the volume of concrete used!