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Butetown
At the turn of the 20th century, the historic region of Butetown was one of the most metropolitan areas in the UK thanks to the docklands industry. The docks themselves also had a reputation for crime, gaining the nickname “Tiger Bay”. By the mid-century, much of the housing that hadn’t been destroyed in the war was demolished and replaced under “slum clearance” policies. New development included two high-rise blocks and an Islamic cultural centre.
By the late 20th century, derelict docklands across the country were being redeveloped. In the Bay, they aimed to whitewash its image through development, creating thousands of homes, jobs, and big attractions to draw people from the city centre. In a show of faith, it also became home to the county council, and later the newly devolved Welsh Government.
The Trail.
1 Loudoun Square.
John Dryburgh 1960-66
At the former heart of Butetown, Loudoun Square, Loudoun and Nelson House were erected. At the time of their completion, they were the tallest buildings in Cardiff. The blocks and square have undergone many changes since, such as new lobbies in 2001, and new cladding, along with a Community Centre, in 2010.
2 South Wales Islamic Centre.
Davies Llewellyn Partnership 1984
Butetown was home to one of the earliest Muslim communities in Britain, but lacked a place of worship for most of the 19th century. The first mosque, built in 1969, was replaced by the current one in 1984, which added an Islamic cultural centre and a women’s centre. Notable are the 16 stained-glass windows designed by students at the Swansea College of Art.
3 Cardiff County Hall.
J. R. C. Bethell / Cardiff County Architects 1986-87
Built early in the development of Cardiff Bay, the County Hall was a show of faith by the council and marked a move away from the existing civic centre in Cathays Park. Somewhere between a Frank Lloyd Wright prarie house and a Japanese fortress, its cascade of slate roofs are an impressive effect, especially when viewed from across the waters of Atlantic Wharf. The hall was awarded a Civic Trust Award in 1986 and the Gold Medal for Architecture at the 1991 Eisteddfod.
Today, the building is under threat as Atlantic Wharf is eyed for redevelopment, and it has consistently featured on C20’s risk list as a result. However, attempts to protect the building through listing have been unsuccessful.
4 Craft in The Bay.
Noel Architects 2001-02
One of the early buildings in the Bay was the 1870s D-Shed, Grade-II listed in 1992. Deconstructed and moved from the East Bute Dock, the shed found new life as a craft centre for the Maker’s Guild of Wales. Look out for the cruciform cast-iron columns, and the impressive roof truss inside the gallery.
5 Millennium Centre.
Jonathan Adams / Percy Thomas Partnership 2002-09
A key aspect of the bay development was the creation of an opera house. A design competition was held and won by architect Zaha Hadid, but her design became mired in controversy and was never built. In its place, the Wales Millennium Centre was born. Expanding on the original scope, the centre contains two theatres, six function rooms, and many rehearsal spaces, dance studios and bars.
This new design placed a stronger emphasis on Welsh culture, with coloured bands of slate sourced from many different quarries and wood sourced from sustainable forests in mid-Wales. The copper–coated dome, looming over the oval basin like the hull of a ship, is inscribed with two poems by Gwyneth Lewis – one in Welsh, and one in English.
6 Senedd Cymru.
Richard Rogers Partnership 2001-06
Perhaps the most well-known architecture practice to contribute to Cardiff Bay, the Senedd building aimed to represent the new devolved government and its principles. The building is light and open-plan, and you can watch debates in the circular Siambr from a public viewing gallery. At the centre sits a stained glass artwork Heart of Wales by Swansea artist Alexander Beleschenko. Another furnishing of interest is the swan chairs in the public hall, designed by mid-century architect Arne Jacobsen.
The building deploys a number of sustainability measures. Heating is provided by a ground-source heat pumps and a biomass boiler, and the large roof collects rainwater for use in the toilets. From the outside, you may also spot the fin-shaped vent which takes hot air out of the chamber.
7 Techniquest.
Ahrends Burton & Koralek 1993-95
Founded in 1986 by a Professor at Cardiff University, this science discovery centre used a number of buildings across the city before finding a permanent home here within the reused steel frame of an industrial building, becoming the first of its kind in the UK. The architects added features including the wall of sails that shades the glass facade and the reflective sphere which houses a science theatre.
8 BBC Roath Lock Studios.
Fashion Architecture Taste (FAT) 2010-11
The main architectural attraction of Roath Lock is the long facade along the Roath Basin, and the impressive geometric cast over the main entrance which references a carving in the original 1912 Glamorgan council chamber. Internally, the studios have many unique requirements, such as corridors wide enough for two Daleks to pass, and a replica of the Holby City car park.
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