Titanic Shortlisted for 2012 LEAF Awards

Titanic in the running for leading architectural award

Northern Ireland’s £76 million Titanic Belfast tourist attraction, whose centrepiece is a stunning recreation of the Titanic’s iconic Grand Staircase, has made the shortlist for the International Interior Design of the Year at LEAF, the Leading European Architects Forum. The LEAF award winners will be announced at an event in London in September.

The interior design for the 14,000 sq m (150,700 sq ft), six-floor building was developed by architectural practice, Kay Elliott. The world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, it features nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people that made her 100 years ago. It accommodates a dark ride, underwater exploration theatre, recreations of the ship’s cabins, interactive technologies and a luxurious conference and banqueting venue, the Titanic Suite.

The focal point of the 1,000-seat Titanic Suite is the recreation of Titanic’s Grand Staircase. The near-replica Grand Staircase is 23ft high and 24ft wide, has 23 steps, weighs nearly four tonnes and is made up of 10,000 individual parts. It was built in six separate sections using red oak, the wood from which the Titanic’s Grand Staircase was made. Six specialist joiners from Oldtown Joinery worked on the project to match the craftsmanship of original designers Harland & Wolff, and it is estimated to have taken 1,500 man-hours over four months to complete.

Mark Muir, Kay Elliott’s Project Director for Titanic Belfast, said: “It’s great to be in the running for this highly prestigious award and particularly appropriate during the centenary year of the ship’s launch and loss.”