NEW BABYLON IN WALES

City Centre, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Mixed-use Project 2020-2021

Experimenting an innovative live-work prototype for a local nomadic population while using a unique facade material ETFE to meet their specific needs

Site

While searching for sites along the railway (green) in Cardiff City Centre, two PET spaces (pink) grabbed my attention. They are separated by the railway, and that reminds me of how the Welsh Romani have been isolated by the public. Also, the areas they are in are completely different while being right next to each other, with one being more dynamic and one being more static, and only separated by the railway in between. So then an idea came up that it is perfect to let Welsh Romani as outsiders fill these gaps in the city and they can also act as a bond to reconnect these 2 areas.

Concept Development

To respect the particularity of the Welsh Romani, the design features a plug-in system considering the users live in caravans but not traditional houses. The form of the design emphasizes connectivity as the design’s aim is to reconnect the Romani population back to the public. Also, an innovative approach was used by making ETFE membrane the main facade material, which allows a sufficient amount of natural lighting to be provided to encourage interactions without sacrificing building performances.

1. SHAPE

1. SHAPE

Shapes are decided with the intention of maximising the potential of inclusivity of the sites, site A is opened in the middle so the back alley can be well-used

Shapes are decided with the intention of maximising the potential of inclusivity of the sites, site A is opened in the middle so the lack alley can be wellused

Volume

Volume

The forms are then raised up to 2-storey high so as to cohere with the surrounding buildings and emphasizing inclusivity to the public in city centre

The forms are then raised up to 2-storey high so as to cohere with the surrounding buildings and emphasizing inclusivity to the public in the city centre

3. PROGRAMME

3. PROGRAMME

Programme are then positioned according to the hierarchy of spaces on the site, residential parts which are in green are placed in a parallel manner so as to link up 2 buildings

Programme is then positioned according to the hierarchy of spaces on the site, residential parts which are in green are placed in a parallel manner to link up 2 buildings

4. CIRCULATION

1. CIRCULATION

Residential parts are then divivded into small units which allow caravans to plug-in and depart conveniently to provide the intended flexibility to the nomadic population

Residential parts are then divided into small units which allow caravans to plug-in and depart conveniently to provide the intended flexibility to the nomadic population

Ground floor