Welsh School of Architecture
- Location
- Cathays Park, Cardiff
- Client
- Cardiff University
- Expertise
- Architecture
- Acoustics
- Completion
- March 2022
- Size
- 7600m2
- Cost
- £9.7m
The major refurbishment of Cardiff University's Grade II Listed Bute Building to create a new and iconic home for the Welsh School of Architecture.
The major renovation and expansion of the Welsh School of Architecture within the Grade II Listed Bute Building to create a new home for the Centre for Well Informed Design, Research and Education in the Built Environment (WIDER-BE).
The project is an exemplar of passive, sustainable refurbishment and provides an aspirational new identity for the WSA. Our design introduces flexible dynamic studio working, bringing together tutorial, critique and exhibition space with access to workshops and social areas.
The key to our approach was developing a thorough understanding of how the original building was designed by Sir Percy Thomas and then introducing targeted, light-touch interventions to optimise the flexible use of spaces, whilst taking advantage of natural ventilation and daylight rather than adding more layers of technology that make the building complicated to operate and maintain.
Brief
Consolidate and expand the Welsh School of Architecture to create a new Centre for Well-informed Design, Education and Research in the Built Environment (WIDER-BE) within the Grade II listed Bute Building. Work within a fixed budget and phased programme to ensure continuity of teaching Provide flexible teaching environments that can adapt to changing pedagogies
Results
A new ‘front door’ to the school with enlivened identity Flexible hybrid teaching studio, new showpiece exhibition hall, ‘Living Lab’ to strengthen links between academia, local communities and industry practice and expanded workshop facilities Future-proofing the historic Bute Building for future generations of aspiring architects in Wales Education Building Wales Awards 2023 - winner of 'Education Refurbishment of the Year 2023' and highly commended 'Inspiring Learning Environments'.