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Cathays
In the early 20th-century, Cathays Park defined itself as a civic centre in Cardiff, housing the City Hall, County Hall, Crown Courts, and National Museum. Despite many changes in architectural styles over the course of the century, most of the modern civic buildings in the park harken back to its earlier Edwardian classicism through their rhythm, massing, or heavy use of Portland stone.
Many of the post-war buildings of Cathays Park arose from the expansion of Cardiff University, primarily from two practices: Percy Thomas Partnership, whose earlier stripped-classicism eventually gave way to more typical post-war modernism, and Alex Gordon & Partners, whose work was distinguished by their heavy use of brick in sculptural forms.
The Trail.
1 Central Police Station.
John Dryburgh 1966-68
The Pevsner guide describes county architect John Dryburgh’s Central Police Station as the best post-war building of Cathays Park, and the only one to be “both modern and majestic”. However, this assertion unfairly overlooks the wealth of post-war buildings in the area that this trail explores.
2 Temple of Peace.
Sir Percy Thomas 1937-38
The Welsh Temple of Peace and Health was initially conceived to house two organisations: the Welsh branch of the peacekeeping League of Nations Union, and the King Edward VII Welsh National Memorial Association for the treatment of tuberculosis – as well as a grand memorial to those who lost their lives in the Great War. I recommend venturing down into the Crypt to see the Welsh national Book of Remembrance, which contains the name of every Welsh man and woman who served in the war.
Unfortunately, the building opened in November 1938, less than a year before the advent of the Second World War. After the war in 1946, Percy Thomas was awarded with an RIBA Bronze Medal for his design.
3 Welsh Office / CP2.
Alex Gordon & Partners 1972-79
This imposing building housed the Welsh Office, becoming the offices of the Welsh Assembly Government upon its establishment. The almost 35,000 square metre complex was attached to the Grade-II listed Cathays Park 1 (or Crown Building as it was then known) via a secure skybridge.
Critics highlighted its defensive design – what we would now refer to as ‘hostile architecture’ – most visible in the steep slopes which surround the complex on all sides. However, the overabundance of caution was perhaps understandable given the recency of the 1968 bombings of CP1 and the Temple of Peace.
4 Redwood Building
Sir Percy Thomas & Son 1961
Opened by the Welsh College of Advance Technology which eventually became part of Cardiff University, the stripped-back facade of this modernist building serves to highlight the impressive relief carved by Edward Bainbridge Copnall, most famous for his work on the RIBA HQ at Portland Place.
5 School of Music.
Alex Gordon & Partners 1970
The School of Music is one of Cardiff University’s oldest schools, but the current building was designed by Alex Gordon & Partners in their signature brick-based Brutalism of the era. The solid facade also provides a backdrop to Dame Barbara Hepworth’s 1968 Three Obliques (Walk-In), which is still used by students for their graduation snaps to this day.
6 Arts & Social Sciences Library.
Faulkner-Brown Hendy Watkinson Stonor 1972-76
From their inception in 1962, Faulkner-Brown Hendy Watkinson Stonor built a portfolio of university and community libraries around the country. Positioned just outside of Cathays Park, their Arts & Social Sciences Library is often overlooked.
7 School of Law.
Sir Percy Thomas 1958-62
Formally the Faculty of Arts, this building was the first and only part of Cardiff University’s original post-war masterplan to be built before it was superseded by one much taller and much denser. The fluted facade turns in a circle on the corner, almost creating the impression of a massive classical column.
8 Cardiff University Masterplan.
Dale Owen / Percy Thomas Partnership 1960
This dense cluster of near-inextricable university buildings is often the subject of derision for daring to break the preexisting scale of the park. Despite this, there are many moments of architectural fascination within this concrete jungle, including the appropriately named Tower Building (1967) and the School of Medicine (1968-70).
Facing into the park, the Sir Martin Evans building features a striking extension of stained-glass hexagons designed by Rio Architects. The labs employ diamond-shaped rows of windows reminiscent of James Stirling’s engineering building.
9 Sherman Theatre.
Alex Gordon 1970-71
Jonathan Adams 2010-12
Originally one of Alex Gordon & Partners heavy brick buildings, in line with their neighbouring Students Union and School of Mathematics, the theatre was heavily renovated in the 2010s by Millennium Centre architect Jonathan Adams.
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