Custom House Square - Where ? Belfast.

[Papworth]

Certainly looks good (via UTV midday news) the new public traffic free space opposite Belfast’s old customhouse (Custom House Square) with its water features, children’s play area and it is to be used to stage concerts and hold public meetings….this intended use should be interesting….certainly seems to deserve the much bandied around phrase we hear these days of ” enhancement of the public realm.”

[Paul Clerkin]

http://www.laganside.com/customsquare.asp

[JPD]

There seems to be a lot of activity in Belfast these days. I like the Custom House development it has a good mix of styles

[aj]

about the development s in belfast...has anyone seen plans for the new spire thats planned for St Annes Catherdral?

[Papworth]

Methinks DCC should get the northern lads down to advise on the enhancement of Smithfield Square as a public venue..water features et all...traffic and no direct frontage onto the Liffey one of the problems here. Also Smithfield is smothered / dominated on all sides by bog-standard apartment blocks /offices.

[johnglas]

Also Smithfield is smothered / dominated on all sides by bog-standard apartment blocks /offices.

I don't think that's true at all and a lot of the new architecture in Belfast is not exactly tasteful or inspiring. But what matters in a public square is not so much what contains it (unless there is a major set-piece, or the whole square is an art-form like the Grand' Place/Grote Markt in Brussels),but what happens in and around it. So, you need a reason to go/be there.
Your idea of getting an outside eye to run over it is not a bad one at all; a second opinion is often reveealing, or at least inspires debate. I haven't been to Belfast recently, so can't comment on how well/badly their 'new' public places work, but Victoria Square does look very good.