Situated in the heart of Belfast’s bustling Cathedral Quarter, the MAC is the key cultural element in the regeneration of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, historically the Merchant City of Belfast.

Mascott successfully delivered this major world class venue, housing three art galleries, two theatres, a bar/restaurant, family room and multiple rehearsal and office spaces, now offers a range of theatre, visual arts, dance and workshop facilities.

Externally, a glazed tower sits atop the volcanic stone façade, creating a beacon that registers the building on the wider city skyline above the surrounding rooftops.

Internally a long and narrow atrium divides the building into two halves and is surrounded by walls of exposed concrete and brickwork. The use of local basalt stone cladding for this element of the project asserts the civic significance of this new cultural venue for the city.

Skylights bring natural light down into the seven-storey space, where balconies accommodate cafe and bar areas with an auditorium located on either side of the foyer, while dance studios and exhibition galleries fill the floors above and below.