The designer behind Belfast’s new Titanic building has hailed it his “swan song”, midulstermail.co.uk reports.

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Award-winning designer, Alan Grimason has previously worked on the Kensington Oval cricket ground in Barbados, the British Airways building at Heathrow and Etihad Stadium, home to Manchester City Football Club. However, it was the Titanic contract that he badly wanted.

Famous steel building cladding

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It was Mr Grimason who came up with the idea of cladding the building – which is shaped like a four-cornered star – in shiny steel. It was hoped that it would become a world class tourist attraction and already that dream seems to be coming true. The cladding at least, the newspaper says, is “already famous”.

Eye-catching project

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Initially proposed as a jigsaw of different shaped panels, Mr Grimason suggested a simplified grid system, where the distinctive panels were attached perpendicularly.

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The effect is breath-taking and may well inspire other designers and architects to consider using coated steel cladding for future, eye-catching projects.

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Grimason’s swan song

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Having retired ‘on a high’, Mr Grimason enthused about the building, telling irishexaminer.com:

“It was my swan song. I am delighted with it, absolutely delighted.”

“It’s a great statement compared [with] any other project I’ve seen around the world and any other thing I’ve been involved with.”