Former Malone Telephone Exchange, 226 Lisburn Road, Belfast

The Former Malone Telephone Exchange is a detached, multi-bay, three-storey neo-Georgian building located on a prominent corner site at 226 Lisburn Road, Belfast. Designed in 1933 by architect Thomas Rippingham under the supervision of Roland Ingleby Smith, Chief Architect of the Department of Works and Public Buildings, it was originally constructed as a telephone exchange. A top storey was added in 1966. Since survey, the building has been partially refurbished as a residential apartment building (see planning application ref: LA04/2015/1425/F for details).

The building is rectangular on plan on an east-west axis, with a rounded stair block to the north and a rounded corner to the south. A small rectangular block abuts the north-east corner. It is constructed of rustic red brick in Flemish Bond on a painted masonry stone base to the public south and west elevations. The 1966 top storey addition is in plain red brick. Flat, likely concrete roofs run throughout behind a plain brick parapet, embellished to the principal elevations with a stone or cast concrete moulded string course. Cast iron box hoppers and downpipes are generally used throughout.

Windows are set in square-headed openings with original, single-glazed multi-paned steel windows (except where noted below), positioned close to the front face with narrow brick reveals and fine glazing bars painted white. Masonry cills are throughout. Ground floor windows contain 12 panes arranged 3 by 4, with the bottom part (1 by 3 panes) opening as a hopper. First and second floor windows contain 18 panes arranged 3 by 6, with the bottom part (2 by 3 panes) opening. Stair lights are fixed. Windows to the public-facing elevations, including those to the later top storey, have soldier course flat arched heads.

The principal west elevation faces onto Lisburn Road and is symmetrical with bowed ends to north and south. The stair tower to the north is blank except for original panelled and part-glazed painted timber double-leaf doors to ground floor with a plain moulded painted masonry surround. The central portion originally comprised three sets of three windows above a tall masonry plinth. Two windows to the ground floor south-west (middle and far right) have been replaced with a pair of large plain-glazed shop-type windows set in a moulded frame extending into the plinth. Access to the rear yard is through double doors at the far west end, up a short flight of steps.

The south elevation faces onto Windsor Park and features a bowed corner to the west end, originally comprising three sets of four windows, one set to each floor formally arranged on the façade. A window to the ground floor south-east end has been replaced with a traditionally detailed timber door with rectangular overlight and ornate masonry frame. The elevation is distinguished by a sweeping rounded corner with three curved fixed lights, one to each floor.

The east side elevation faces onto an enclosed yard, entered from Windsor Park through timber double gates. First and second floors are visible from the road. Openings, whilst not symmetrical, are formally set on the elevation and are characterised by two larger openings on the south-east corner, one above each other on the first and second floors, leading onto small stone balconies or ledges, likely for fire escape purposes. A First Survey image from 1994 shows substantial doors where windows now exist; this detail, used as an architectural feature, can be seen in other telephone exchange buildings.

The north (rear) elevation faces onto an enclosed yard, with a full-height curved stair tower abutting the north-west corner. A metal fire escape is located to the north-east end. Original windows remain throughout, those to the inner face of the stair tower being smaller. Part of this elevation, including the central part of the rear wall and the face of the stair tower facing the yard, is built in plain red brick with concrete heads to the windows. The date of this work, which predates the additional floor added in the 1960s, is not known. Minor, modern modifications to door openings at ground level have been made. Recent works of demolition took place inside the yard in 2016 and 2017 in accordance with permissions to convert the building to flats.

The building is set on a prominent corner site on Lisburn Road, set back from the street frontage. It is enclosed to the north and east by a tall brick boundary wall, forming a yard.