A Co Down architectural firm has put the eye-catching finishing touch to the £100m Titanic Signature Building.

Spanwall is behind the futuristic steel cladding which adorns the new visitors’ centre, set to open ahead of schedule next year in time for the centenary of the Belfast-built ship’s tragic maiden voyage.

Work on manufacturing the rainscreen cladding is almost complete.

The panels were made in Spanwall’s factory at Carryduff, which is also producing material for the inside of the building.

The firm is now manufacturing steel panels for the walls and ceiling which have been specially corroded to give a rusted effect, reflecting the city’s shipbuilding heritage.

Spanwall director Tony Reid said that he was proud to be involved in such an important development, one of a number of projects in the area on which the firm has worked.

“Belfast’s Titanic Quarter has been crucial to sustaining our company,” he said.

“Winning this contract has come in addition to us having completed architectural cladding on the PRONI building, the Audi showroom, the Innovation Centre, Citibank and the ECIT centre, all prestigious projects in this rapidly developing part of the city.”

The Titanic Signature Building will be the largest man-made tourist attraction in Northern Ireland’s history, comprising six floors and nine interpretative and interactive galleries, which will tell Titanic’s story from conception to construction and launch, to its maiden voyage and tragic loss.

The attraction will also include Northern Ireland’s largest banqueting and conference facility and is funded by the Northern Ireland Executive, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour and Titanic Quarter Ltd.