Details
Location: Belfast
Brick Manufacturer: Wienerberger Limited
Brick Name: Mozart Blend
Architect: Studiorogers Architects
Brickwork Contractor: Kelly Brothers Building Contractors
About the project
Ross Street Mews is a transformative, housing-led regeneration scheme that redefines the potential of small-scale development in deprived urban contexts. Located in the Falls area of West Belfast - one of Northern Ireland’s most deprived wards, ranking in the top 2% for deprivation and top 4.33% for crime and disorder - the project delivers not only high-quality homes but measurable social, environmental and economic value.
This £4.8 million scheme, developed by Radius Housing and designed by Studiorogers Architects, directly addresses acute housing need. In Inner West Belfast, over 83% of the 1,124 people on the housing waiting list are in severe housing stress. Ross Street Mews responds with 24 energy-efficient homes: 14 two-bedroom houses, 6 three-bedroom houses, 2 one-bedroom apartments, and 2 fully wheelchair-accessible homes - supporting up to 84 residents.
The site previously housed the Ross Street Flats - a failed development long associated with arson, crime, and anti-social behaviour. Locals described it as “a place to live, but never home.” Community campaigning led to a call for change, and this project was born out of a design competition by Radius Housing Association.
The scheme introduces an innovative mews concept, reinterpreting the traditional Belfast street with a pedestrian-prioritised layout that encourages natural surveillance, active frontages, and neighbourly interaction. Secure, south-facing private gardens maximise daylight, comfort, and well-being. This layout supports safety, inclusion, and a sense of belonging, while responding sensitively to its compact urban context.
The use of Wienerberger brick was central to the project’s identity. Belfast has a strong legacy of red brick architecture, and Ross Street Mews continues that tradition with quiet strength. The carefully selected brickwork brings durability and distinctiveness, grounding the scheme in the local streetscape while signalling a renewed confidence in the area’s future. It is a modest intervention - but a powerful one - showing how material choices shape place and permanence.
Each home achieves an EPC A rating. Solar panels, airtight construction, high-performance glazing, and robust insulation reduce energy demand and tackle fuel poverty. South-facing living spaces enhance passive solar gain, while street trees, hedging, and native planting improve biodiversity and ecological value.
Ross Street Mews is a catalyst for further interest and investment in this area. What was once a neglected and unsafe corner of West Belfast is now a welcoming, lived-in street that feels cared for and full of promise. It is a clear demonstration of how well-designed, sustainable social housing can unlock long-term value and regeneration - even on a modest scale.”
