Buildings shortlisted for awards
BBC Cymru Wales’ new Cardiff headquarters, a former gunpowder works and new council offices are among the buildings named Wales’ best.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its annual shortlist of Wales’ top buildings. There are eight categories and one winner will be named Wales’ project of the year.
The awards highlight the great talent involved in shaping the built environment in Wales for now and the future.
BBC Cymru Wales’ new building in Cardiff ’s Central Square, combines studio, administration and support spaces in a single building, and is shortlisted in the Commercial and Design Through Innovation categories.
Also nominated for the Commercial award are the AluK UK Headquarters, in Chepstow, Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, on the Carmarthen campus of University of Wales Trinity St David and Menai Science Park, on Anglesey.
Canolfan S4C Yr Egin and Menai Science Park are also on the Design Through Innovation shortlist, along with Coed Pella, Conwy council’s new offices, in Colwyn Bay.
The former Glyn Neath Gunpowder Works, in Powys, which underwent conservation works to its existing upstanding remains is nominated in the Building Conservation section, alongside Coed y Bleiddiau, in Blaenau Ffestiniog, a railway building that was transformed into a holiday let for The Landmark Trust and Llwyn Celyn, in Abergavenny, a medieval hall-house which has been restored.
Brecon Cultural Hub (Y Gaer), is nominated for the Community Benefit award alongside Eastern Community Campus, in Cardiff, Ysgol Cwm Brombil, in Port Talbot, the University of South Wales Sport Park, in Pontypridd and the St Fagans National Museum of History redevelopment, which saw the Grade II-listed main building complex redesigned to provide new exhibition and learning spaces, together with a new workshop and gallery complex alongside it.
In the Infrastructure category are the neonatal unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, which needed urgent upgrades and was increased from 30 to 50 cots, the Sport Park, Pontypridd and the West End Medical Centre, in Colwyn Bay.
The Regeneration shortlist includes Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, in Swansea. Powell Dobson was commissioned to refurbish and restore the Grade II-listed 1911 Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and 1974 Main Gallery together with creating a new-build extension comprising community/education space, new gallery space, administration, conservation studios, archive/storage facilities and incorporating the re-use of the former school building on Clifton Row into workshops.
A 26-storey student accommodation block – Bridge Street Exchange, Cardiff – is named in the Residential category along with Loftus Garden Village, in Newport, a development of 250 homes at the former Pirelli Cable Factory site.
Chairman of the RICS Awards 2019 Wales judging panel Geraint Evans, said: “What’s great about the RICS Awards is that they celebrate and recognise the community impact that these shortlisted projects are having on their local communities, as well as the talent and collaboration of the teams behind them.
“Some of the shortlisted projects have helped to attract more visitors and inward investment, whilst others have provided much needed housing or vital services and infrastructure to their communities.
“The teams behind them should be extremely proud as many were delivered on time and within budget, and with sustainability at the heart, to ensure they are as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.”
All Wales winners go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in November, for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective category.