Meter House, The Gasworks, Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2JA

Meter House

A single-storey building with double-height interior, built between 1860 and 1870 to designs by Robert Watt, situated at the east end of the former Belfast Gasworks on Ormeau Road. The Meter House originally housed large station meters for measuring the volume of coal-gas produced in the retorts. It is one of three original gasworks buildings to survive on the site, alongside the Gas Office and the Klondyke Building, giving it significant group value.

The building is constructed of red brick with terracotta facing on its lower sections. The north and east elevations display neo-Classical styling with good proportions and detailing. These elevations are symmetrical, with the north elevation containing five openings and the east elevation four. The lower half of both elevations is faced with large terracotta blocks set in regular courses, with slightly advanced moulded terracotta courses at the base. Each opening has moulded terracotta surrounds with heads forming a continuous sandstone platband. The windows are timber-framed with one-over-two fixed glazing and chamfered cills. Two partly-glazed timber entrance doors with fielded panels, granite doorsteps and rectangular overlights are positioned at each end of the east elevation. Above the platband runs a decorative stringcourse of small square terracotta panels featuring alternate bas-relief square and round motifs. The upper half of the east and north elevations consists of plain brick embellished with large square raised-and-fielded moulded terracotta panels, positioned above each opening below. An elaborate cornice of moulded terracotta dentillation, surmounted by sandstone blocks sandwiched between moulded brick specials, runs around all four walls and is topped by a short blocking course.

A semicircular glazed dome rises from the centre of the flat leaded roof. The dome is made up of multiple leaded fish-scale panes, each hand-painted with designs. Its seven circular rows each carry different designs. The dome is surmounted by a low circular ventilator with glazed sides and capped with leaded glass identical to that on the main dome. This is an excellent example of fish-scale dome construction.

The south elevation is of plain red brick. Five cast-iron brackets protrude from this wall, relics of a former lower lean-to building that no longer survives; they originally supported a timber purlin for monopitched rafters. Lower down, ten dressed sandstone blocks are set flush with the surface, their function unknown. The west elevation is partially abutted by a modern building connection and lacks openings in its exposed section.

The roof is flat with a leaded covering, surrounded by a brick blocking course and cast-iron downpipes. The building is now surrounded on all sides by modern commercial buildings.

The Meter House was originally known as the 'Middle Section' Meter House and once formed part of Belfast Corporation's Gasworks, which opened on Ormeau Road in 1823. The building formerly contained station meters for measuring coal-gas volume. Steam generated in an adjacent boiler house powered exhausters which pumped gas into the mains. Coal-gas manufacture ceased at the site in 1978 when production switched to gas made from naphtha, an oil derivative, at a new gasworks in Sydenham. The Ormeau Road gasworks continued in use for storing oil-gas until final closure in 1988.

The building became obsolete following the end of coal-gas production. The site was subsequently acquired by Ormeau Road Gasworks Ltd and the Meter House underwent restoration around 2000. Much of the interior detailing is a replica of original surviving fragments, most of which had deteriorated beyond restoration. The restored building reopened in 2006 for use as an events space and gallery. It received RIBA and RSUA conservation awards in 2008.

The Meter House is of considerable historical interest both in relation to the development of the Belfast Gasworks and in the context of Northern Ireland. It is without parallel anywhere in Ireland and displays industrial archaeological importance alongside its architectural merit. Although most original interior details did not survive, the quality of the restoration is high, and the building has retained much of its original character. The flat leaded roof, cast-iron downpipes, and timber-framed windows all contribute to its heritage value.