The Telegraph building is a historic landmark of Belfast’s City Centre that has been neglected ever since the newspaper’s offices were relocated. Much of the original external fabric remains untouched, However the building has been compromised by the repeated internal layout alterations.
Considering that the greenest building is the one that already exists and honouring the embodied cultural and carbon footprint of the Telegraph Building, I rewrote the schedule of use of it by proposing a Students Union focused on improving mental wellbeing through movement. The external façade remained intact while the internal floor layout has been altered to accommodate activities ranging from boxing to pottery making and allowing double or triple height spaces. Moreover, the previously existing lightwell  was reinstated to improve ventilation and daylight penetration. 
In addition, extensive research on Neuroarchitecture and sustainable restoration practices have vastly informed all design stages, and ultimately led to the implementation of the pods of retreat; semi-enclosed cylinders that extend vertically up to the third floor and can host small group gatherings or private studying or reading. 
The restoration scheme aims to encourage interdisciplinary interaction between activities as well as informal counselling rooms and access to a roof garden.