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Tropical Ravine at Botanic Gardens is north's best place

The restored Tropical Ravine at Botanic Gardens
The restored Tropical Ravine at Botanic Gardens The restored Tropical Ravine at Botanic Gardens

A SOUTH Belfast building project which has transformed an overgrown corner of Botanic Gardens into a new and exciting visitor attraction has been named Project of the Year at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Northern Ireland awards.

The Tropical Ravine, a unique and nationally significant Victorian building housing a noteworthy collection of tropical plants, reopened to the public in April following a £3.8m upgrade.

Belfast City Council, with significant Heritage Lottery Fund support, working with Friends of Botanic, has restored it back to its former glory, with a modern 21st century twist aimed to make it one of Belfast’s popular tourist attractions.

Judges said the project had scored very highly when inspected and had been unanimously supported as Project of the Year. The Tropical Ravine also won the Building Conservation category of the Awards.

The annual RICS Awards, Northern Ireland celebrate inspirational initiatives across the built environment.

The Project of the Year Award is presented to the project which is judged overall as an excellent example of best practice by professionals working in both the built and natural environments.

The Tropical Ravine was deemed “a model of best practice” by the judging panel who praised the work of the conservation team which nurtured it through dramatic change, enhancing its use while consistently respecting its historic fabric.

Companies involved in the project included surveyors Currie & Brown, architects Hall Black Douglas and contractors McAleer and Teague.

Judges said: “Its sensitive conservation approach was professional, and the partnership created of caring community groups and the Heritage Lottery Fund added strength and injected a variety of views, often conflicting, and aspirations which collectively have transformed this neglected overgrown corner of Botanic Gardens into a visitor attraction with an amazing story to be absorbed at leisure.”

Michael Hannaway, chair of the RICS Awards Northern Ireland judging panel, said: “These eight exciting winning schemes are all having an extremely positive impact on their local communities.

“The teams behind them have worked tirelessly and with incredible vision to create projects which provide tremendous benefit across areas as diverse and important as healthcare, education, housing, the workplace and tourism.

“Through collaborating with other professionals, local surveyors have shown that they have the talent to deliver exemplary and in many cases world-class built projects.”

Projects from across the north won awards at a ceremony hosted by television presenter Paul Clark at the La Mon Hotel & Spa, Belfast, after 34 hugely diverse schemes were short listed in eight categories - building conservation (commercial) sponsored by Sika, community benefit (design through innovation) sponsored by Forbo and infrastructure regeneration sponsored by Mills Selig. Winners of the individual categories were:

• Building conservation – The Tropical Ravine Belfast

• Commercial – Colby House, Belfast

• Community Benefit – St Paul II Primary School, Belfast

• Design through innovation – Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex

• Infrastructure – Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Station, Enniskillen

• Regeneration – Newry Leisure Centre

• Residential – Rathgill, Bangor

• Tourism & Leisure – Titanic Hotel Belfast

All category winners will now go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards grand final in November.