'As the shipyard grew and the technology advanced, so this building expanded and changed'
Built in the mid 1880's, the Harland & Wolff Headquarters and Drawing Offices was the creative and business hub of a shipyard so vast that, at its peak, it was like a city within a city.
In this building decisions were made and deals were done which changed the course of shipbuilding, as Harland & Wolff created the largest, most innovative and luxurious ocean-going vessels of the time.
To accompany a pop-up exhibition that we developed for Titanic Hotel Belfast, for special heritage events, we also produced a visually rich and comprehensive book that tells the story of this important building.
Lavishly illustrated with paintings, photographs and diagrams, The Heart of the Yard tells of how visionary leaders of industry saw the potential for Belfast Harbour to lead the world.
It explains what is so unique and ground-breaking about the building's design and introduces you to those that worked within its walls – the key players in Harland and Wolff's international success – the highly skilled men and women that worked in the Drawing Offices and the business partners that drove the company on.
The book concludes by focussing on the restoration of the building and its transformation into a sophisticated heritage hotel.