Wsa march2 2013 port city 2467br

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PORT CITY URBAN AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNING FOR RESILIENCE

Economy Unit M.Arch 2014 Welsh School of Architecture Cardiff University


Students: Michael Carruthers Keith Chan Gareth Cotter Theo Ellis Priit Jürimäe Terry Lai Chuck Choo Dan Liu Unit Leader: Dr. Juliet Davis

Acknowledgements: Ferran Aguilo / Jon Avent / Mann Williams Abigail Batchelor Architect Oscar Brito / Central St Martins School of Architecture Salvador Claros Colectivo La Col / Barcelona Bob Croydon / Cardiff University Fabra i Coats / Barcelona Jill Fairweather / CADW Jon Iriondo / Alan Francis / Gaunt Francis

Tutors: Melina Guirnaldos Dr. Federico Wulff

Glamorgan Archives Clea Granados / Dr. Chris Groves / Cardiff University Carme Gual /

Editors: Melina Guirnaldos Dr. Federico Wulff Graphic Design: Keith Chan Priit Jürimäe

Tom Hill / Mann Williams Edward Holland / Prince’s Regeneration Trust Dr. Jerzy Kierkuć-Bielinski / The Soane Museum Jordi Mir / CEMS Universitat Pompeu Fabra Peter Pearson / The Welsh School of Architecture Oriel Prizeman / The Welsh School of Architecture Raons Públiques / Barcelona Andrew Roberts / The Welsh School of Architecture Pat Ruddock / Mann Williams Pat Thompson / Cardiff County Council Simon Walrond / RVW Stephen Witherford / Witherford Watson Mann iii


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Credits / Acknowledgements

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Port City: urban and architectural resilience in Cardiff Bay Juliet Davis

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The Cardiff Coal Exchange can become a building with a resilient future by integrating proposals for Mount Stuart Square with the development and infrastructural improvements of Cardiff Bay over the next 10 years Michael Carruthers

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Adapt to Conserve: The Compromising Process of Heritage-focused Regeneration Keith Chan

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Creating a Resilient Framework for Development Gareth Cotter

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Project title Theo Ellis

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Re-humanising and Democratising the Industrial Legacy of Cardiff Priit J체rim채e

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Community Resilience: The Coal Exchange as an Interface between the Butetown Community and Cardiff Terry Lai Chuck Choo

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From Coal Exchange to Renewables Exchange Dan Liu

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Common Ground: Creating a Place of Exchange between Different Cultures, Communities and Economies Aoife Rath-Cullimore

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Epilogue


Back in the day: busy streets around the Coal Exchange

Dr. Juliet Davis

the formulation of an intellectual proposition. Our opening proposition with respect to the resilience of urban form and architecture is that it is only by developing an understanding of the forms of uncertainty, risk and shock that have shaped and continue to shape a site in a broader urban context over time and the significance of these for survival, adaptability and the ability to plan for a future that we can design for future resilience. Students were asked to test this proposition through design-based research.

Port City: urban and architectural resilience in Cardiff Bay

The site context:

The unit’s exploration: This year’s MArch 2 ‘Economy’ unit set out to engage with the notion of ‘resilience’ which has become an increasingly important matter for public policy and a focus for research across a number of disciplines in recent times. In broad terms, resilience is bound up with issues of change, risk, vulnerability and uncertainty that deeply impact on the complex functionality of the systems that make up our society. Our interest was in looking at how urban form and architecture are dynamically embroiled within these systems and also how they reflect them. We are familiar with how, through redundancy, decay and dereliction, urban forms and buildings reflect the declining fortunes of landscapes and cities, their changing economies and cultures. We think of examples from Detroit in the United States to the Rhur region in Germany, to London’s Lea Valley and, closer to home, the South Wales Valleys where shirking cities (Oswalt, 2005), abandoned urban forms and buildings testify to the vulnerabilities of economies, and at the same time, in some cases, are able to help create the possibility for new productive uses and new relationships between people and places. Through processes of development, redevelopment and renewal, urban forms and buildings reflect new economic directions, new opportunities for capital accumulation, political agendas and ambitions and at the same time some of the risks associated with future planning and speculation. We think here of 2

the significance of the cluster of towers that now push skyward from the base of London’s former Docklands, the regeneration promises of Olympic legacies the world and widespread issues of rapid urbanisation and development.

technologies, transforming economies and policies, or gradual social change. An important emphasis of resilience research is on understanding how they do so in order to address current contexts of risk and uncertainty (for example, Pelling, 2003).

Resilience was originally theorised within the field of Ecology where it was used to explain how natural systems become able to withstand change (Holling, 1973). In urban studies, it has come to denote the capacities of regions and cities to recover from shocks, which may be of a number of kinds. These include natural disasters such as major floods, earthquakes or hurricanes, and human actions ranging from terrorist attack and war to economic crisis (Vale and Campanella, 2005). Some such events may lead to the instant devastation and collapse of the built fabric of cities, whereas others may have less direct and immediate impacts on their physical structure. Most, however, carry major consequences for the life of built form. Resilience may also be (though it is less commonly) evaluated in relation to more minor, gradual, less traumatic and also cyclical events – the ordinary changes, progressions and (incomplete) repetitions that cities undergo over time. Cities are said to show resilience typically by either bouncing back to how they were before a given event or by developing ways of overcoming their histories and of adapting in a more lasting sense to altered circumstances – be it to the unfolding realities of climate change, developing

Resilience in terms of urban form and architecture relies on complex interplays between physical sites, locations, politics and governance, economies and people. It is not possible to think about the resilience of a building without considering the wider issues that impact on its condition and its life. Because resilience cannot be a fixed attribute of anything, it continually depends on how urban areas are able to be adapted — planned and developed, bought and sold, activated and used, valued and desired. Urban forms and buildings can, through the intersection of these processes, become hives of diversity and activity or, conversely, zones of exclusivity or indeterminacy. It is in their ability to participate in and, indeed, reflect and translate the broader processes which enable people, communities and society at large to survive or to adapt to changed circumstances that urban form and buildings acquire resilience.

The unit’s focus for the year was on a site in Cardiff Bay, Mount Stuart Square, which is reflective both of the decline of the South Wales coal industry and of mixed legacies of renewal since the late 1970s. Between the early nineteenth century and the First World War, Cardiff was a ‘coal metropolis’ (Hooper and Punter, 2006). The area now encompassed within the Mount Stuart Conservation Area was developed at the height of the coal trade in the late nineteenth century. The Coal Exchange, designed and built by architect Edwin Seward between 1883 and 1896, lies at the heart of this development. However, only seventy two years after its construction, in 1958, it had closed and coal exports from Cardiff shortly ceased in 1964. This demise has had lasting impacts on the city’s economic directions and prosperity. Sixty years on from this, the area does still not have a secure base of use or future, in spite of its adjacency

Recognising the challenge which students at MArch level face in developing a ‘design thesis’, this unit began with an opening proposition. A design thesis is not only a proposal that translates an envisaged programme of uses into a spatial context but involves Butetown now: in search of common ground

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Mount Stuart Square Conservation Area

Our precedents included a number of industrial buildings and historical areas that we visited in Barcelona in January – including the former textile factories of Can Batlló and Can Ricart and the areas of the Ciutat Vella and Vallcarca. The design theses:

to parts of Cardiff Bay which have been a focus for regeneration for twenty-five years. It was designated a Conservation Area in 1980, and includes several Grade II* and II listed buildings.

VACANT AND NEGLECTED SITES

Under-used spaces Vacant Buildings

Though a Conservation Area, Mount Stuart Square has not especially benefitted from recent cycles of investment in Cardiff Bay and is experiencing renewed economic difficulties in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. The future of the area is uncertain as buildings degrade and fall out of use, and contested as authorities and interest groups debate what should be done to either preserve or redevelop them. The Coal Exchange’s future has been thrown into particular uncertainty in recent times as its condition HISTORICAL BUILDINGS has reached a critical point and it is no longer deemed habitable. Currently, the goals of conservationists are viewed as unfeasible by other public and private groups with major stakes in the building as the costs associated with bringing it back into use, let alone fully restoring it, cannot be met in an economically sustainable way. The area epitomises the effects that 1860 Cardiff Bay Station

1925 Empire House

1875 Pascoe House

1847 125 Bute st

ENTERPRISES aCREATIVE lack of economic resilience at a city and regional scale can produce at the building scale through decay and vacancy.

Trade (engineering, builders, etc) Creative enterprises (art galleries, creative businesses, etc)

Each student in the unit was tasked with considering the potential adaptability or future resilience of Mount Stuart Square, focusing on the Coal Exchange which lies at the heart of it. Given the building’s potent symbolism of both the city’s coal-fuelled prosperity and its subsequent decline, they were encouraged to think about its future in a broad urban context – where is Cardiff’s economy today, where does it seem to be going and what does and might this mean for underused architectural legacies of the coal-trading past? They were required to use a range of research A MIXED USE ZONE IN A MONO-FUNCTIONAL BAY methods, approaches to design and representation to look closely at the building and immediate site context as it is as well as to carefully assess various claims and perspectives on its future. We saw our role as designers as being to mediate these varied claims and perspectives whilst also intervening creatively in the building’s historical, partly ruined fabric.

The range of projects developed by the eight students in the unit is diverse. In the pages that follow, a selection of the work from the unit is shown. The document is structured to provide a sense of each project through text, drawings and models. On reviewing these design thesis projects, three issues stand out as common concerns. First, there is an emphasis on design and development process in most of the projects that reflects both analysis of the historical development of the building (including its decline) and the idea of resilience-building as a form of gradual shaping of the relationship between uses, values and built fabric over time. Second, there is an emphasis on the local, social context of Mount Stuart Square — the deprived locality of Butetown — which is interpreted as another legacy of the declined coal industry for current resilience-building to address. Third, there is emphasis on the potential of historical buildings to be adapted and on the challenge of doing this in a way which preserves the integrity of the architecture and the memory of the past, creates an economically viable way of reusing built fabric whilst also building social and cultural value for the future. Overall, the unit suggests the rich value of shifting emphasis from the seductions of new build to the

potentials of recycling and reinterpreting, of critical engagement with the past. Key References: Daskalakis, Georgia, Charles Waldheim and Jason Young, eds., Stalking Detroit (Barcelona: Actar,2001). Holling, C. S. Resilience and Stability of Ecological Systems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 4, (1973). pp. 1-23. Hooper, Alan and John Punter, eds., Capital Cardiff 1975-2020: regeneration, competitiveness and the urban environment (Cardiff : University of Wales Press, 2006). Oswalt Philipp, ed., Shrinking Cities, Vol.1 International Research (Berlin: Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Hatje Cantz, 2005). O’Sullivan, Arthur, Urban Economics (Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, 2007). Pelling, Mark, The Vulnerability of Cities: Natural Disasters and Social Resilience (London, Sterling: Earthscan Publications, 2003. Pickett, S.T.A., M.L. Cadenasso and Brian McGrath, eds., Resilience in Ecology and Urban Design: Linking Theory and Practice for Sustainable Cities, Future City Series, 3 (New York: Springer, 2013). Power, Anne, Jörg Plöger and Astrid Winkler, Phoenix Cities: The Fall and Rise of Great Industrial Cities (Bristol: Policy Press, 2010). Vale, Lawrence and Thomas Campanella, The Resilient City: How Modern Cities Recover from Disaster (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005). Weir, Margaret M., Nancy Pindus, Howard Wial and Harold Wolman, Urban and Regional Policy and Its Effects: Building Resilient Regions (Washington, Brookings Institution, 2012).

Retail

Food/Restaurant/Entertainment Solicitors/ Estate Agents Construction/Trade Multi-Businesses Creative enterprises Educational Bank

Residential

1911 Cambrian & Cymric

Government Disused/Empty 1836 Bute Dock Public House

1889 Corys Building

Community library in Can Batlló, Barcelona

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Michael Carruthers The Cardiff Coal Exchange can become a building with a resilient future by integrating proposals for Mount Stuart Square with the development and infrastructural improvements of Cardiff Bay over the next 10 years.

The current future of the Coal Exchange now hangs in a state of limbo. To date, the Mount Stuart Square conservation area has not been a focus of renewal work in Cardiff Bay. Many of the buildings are now empty or on the Buildings at Risk register, and their future is uncertain. Documents such as Cardiff Council’s Local Development Plan and its supporting documentation, as well as the Cardiff Core Area South Masterplan suggest how the Bay area as a whole is envisioned to develop over the coming years. Using such documents it is also possible to speculate on how the Coal Exchange could fit into such plans. This project explores the potential for resilience by considering how ideas about the conservation area might be integrated into plans for the future development of Cardiff on a wider scale, focussing particularly on public realm and public transport strategies. At present the infrastructural links to the Bay are lacking. A shuttle train runs from Queen Street Station rather than the Central Station, and only provides limited connectivity with the whole of the Bay area. Plans once in place to provide the Bay with a junction directly onto the M4 were never completed, and the current bus link is slow at best. However, future plans for the Bay show the introduction of a rapid transport system that will provide a regular link to the Central Station and other strategic sites across the city. Such a system is likely to prove highly beneficial for the Coal Exchange, particularly since a stop is proposed 6

on James Street, approximately two minutes’ walk from there. Lobby groups such as the Metro Consortium are also pressuring for the improvement of rail connections into the city, with a particular focus on upgrading lines to the surrounding Valleys towns. Cardiff is moving towards being a city with a strong public transport network. The project is predicated on the idea that investment by larger companies that would provide the income for the building that it needs to be fully conserved and upgraded is unlikely to occur within the next ten years, owing to the timescales of infrastructure investment and improvement. However, with use re-established within the building in the ‘meanwhile’, the Coal Exchange can become a lively place again and an opportunity for local businesses. As a first step, the building needs to be integrated back into the surrounding community. The urban grain currently provides strong routes from North to South. However, movement East-West is restricted, consisting of alleyways and arcades which are lacking the qualities and life of their equivalents in the city centre or poorly designed spaces that lack any sense of destination. For the Coal Exchange to become a destination for local communities, such routes must be enhanced. The public realm is poor quality and lacks hierarchy, a point which is echoed in the Mount Stuart Square Conservation Area Appraisal. The traditional paving stones that once existed have been replaced with a carpet of brick pavers, providing Existing and Future Transport Links 7


a continuous surface between pavement and road. The urban furniture that inhabits these spaces is a ‘mishmash’ of styles and quality, much of which does not fit within the heritage location. The urban realm around the building would be improved, to establish a hierarchy of spaces. Shared and public spaces around the building could be used as temporary markets or events, allowing for a greater accessibility by the public to the activities that the building hosts. The programme within the building focuses on the creation of a business ‘incubator’, which becomes as much about creating an environment akin to a public marketplace focused around the Exchange Hall, as providing low rent shop shells and co-working spaces. The governance of the building would involve implementing a membership based model which has proved successful in projects such as the Impact Hubs and IndyCube, which aims to provide space within the building for those seeking a permanent home for their business or simply use of the resources and support that are provided. Once strong new businesses have been developed, they would be encouraged to take up empty shop shells in the city centre as well as its local and district centres, to help revitalise them. Such development allows for it to remain flexible, always maintaining an awareness of the development of the area around it, evolving based on the successes and requirements of the building.

8 Start-up Businesses and Programme

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Keith Chan Adapt to Conserve: The Compromising Process of Heritagefocused Regeneration

Site context This design thesis explores the process and strategies of adaptive reuse for neglected historical buildings. It offers my perspective on the importance of historical research in conservation, and techniques to amplify the character and express the evolution of the building through interventions. Mount Stuart Square is one remaining physical piece of evidence of the Bay’s industrial and commercial history. The high concentration of listed buildings is a vivid reminder of the affluence generated by the Welsh coal trade in its heyday. It is designated a ‘Conservation Area’ which safeguards its future to an extent. However, the area has been in an economically precarious situation for at least thirty years, as its buildings have struggled to attract re-uses that are able to provide the means for their upkeep and renovation. As a result, a number of the buildings in Mount Stuart Square have currently uncertain futures as funding and funding models tied to conservation ideals are lacking. Historical research in local archives uncovered letters, photographs and the press, which together tell a story of lack of investment leading to the dereliction of historic buildings, and the justification of demolitions and redevelopments under the Public Health Act due to their ‘dangerous structures’ is revealed. Letters further document a heated exchange between authorities and local voices, providing evidence of 10

the political nature of conservation in Cardiff Bay and providing scope for developing my own approach in the light of this contestation. Over time, demolished buildings have been converted either into urban voids, replaced by new-builds that tend to dilute the latently rich urban character of the Conservation Area. Designed and built by architect Edwin Seward between 1883 and 1886 as the heart of the Mount Stuart Square and coal trade, The Coal Exchange has struggled to secure an economically viable re-use. Programmatic principles The perspective taken on the future of the Conservation Area stems from the research undertaken of the gradually vanishing historical remnants of its industrial history. My ambition is to readdress the erased past by rethinking the relation between the urban remnants of the past in order to be able to retell a rich history of Cardiff Bay through the urban fabric. My approach to the Coal Exchange, building on this, began with the aim of minimising any more losses to the historical fabric and streetscape in the Conservation Area by recognizing and celebrating multiple values of its historical urban character. As my project has evolved I have become critical of certain aspects of the architecture of the Coal Exchange and this has formed a basis for intervention. However, in principle, my approach has remained one of discovering the potential of historical features and qualities rather than erasing them through new development.


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Using the Coal Exchange building as a hub for the creative arts sector helps establish a strong image, - Peter Finch whilst its public and cultural use would enable it to secure public funding, from bodies such as Heritage Lottery Fund. The building aims to provide spaces for artists, craftsmen MOUNT STUART SQUARE and other creative workers to THE UNSALVAGEABLE & DEMOLISHED showcase local crafts and exhibits contemporary art and heritage educational displays. The mixed uses introduced to the building takes advantage of qualities of spaces. The private occupation of the building involves the existing small business offices and a Mount Stuart Square, although designated a Conservation Area, consists of numerous boutique hotel, which work with the cellularity of the magnificent historical buildings failed to secure usage. Left unoccupied, they became derelict and existing spaces offered in the building. The use and under Public Health Act, when deemed ‘unsafe for public safety’ would result in demolition. financial strategy demonstrate a more diverse and Below Left: Public Health currently by Imperial Buildings, left derelict & demolished 1980s contextual approach than that offered Act 1961 Below Centre & Right: the Council, who considered to dismantle substantial Gloucester Chambers, left derelict & demolished 1982 parts of the building for a high-rise 5* hotel tower. I argue that my mixed-use approach is not only well suited to the building’s historical fabric but constitutes a viable proposal given the character and present usage of Mount Stuart Square, the landscape of Cardiff’s creative industries, the council’s vision for creative industry development in the Bay (such as at Porth Teigr where the BBC studios are located) and, further, can be interpreted as a resilient strategy.

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The programme is generated by the analysis of the use of the broader area, and of the future envisioned for Cardiff. It involves a mixed use programme focusing on the arts, cultural institutions and creative industries which build on the Conservation Area’s emergent or latent identity as a cultural quarter. It also MAP OFinvolves HISTORICAL a mixREMNANTS of temporary and longer-term uses OF CARDIFF COAL INDUSTRY using arts and cultural activities, which recognize the challenging economic context and yet the potential to secure investment over time through light-touch Cardiff Bay’s Erased Past & reactivation The ‘Erosion’ of Mountstrategies. Stuart SquareSuccessful precedent schemes such as the Custard Factory in Birmingham, and Palais de Tokyo in Paris, have informed this approach. Mount Stuart Square, named after Lord Mountstuart, the Napoleonic period for Cardiff and heir to the Bute MyMPstrategy embraces theestate, ‘rough-and-ready’ state of was where Cardiff's wealth once circled. You can tell by the shape and weight of the buildings. Put upfor at the end of the cultural uses, which have underused sites arts and nineteenth century when coal, iron and steel were making the city spin, they the exudepotential power - Cambrian Buildings, Empire to gather momentum by establishing an House, Perch Buildings 1889, Beynon House, Crichton House - home of theidentity Capital andfor Counties Bank, Baltic House, the area. Phoenix Buildings. The centrepiece, the once-mighty Coal

MOUNT STUART SQUARE CONSERVATION AREA

bute west dock basin

R DSO DE WINLANA ESP

The Cardiff Coal Exchange: architectural intervention As the heart of the thesis, the formulation of the

attitude to the existing Coal Exchange building is closely related to my interpretation of the building and its history. The research of the building history reveals its growth in phases through the years, how the changing economy of the coal industry informed the craftsmanship, materials, and deviation from its original design. Using CADW’s framework for assessing the value of historical buildings, the building fabric provides strong ‘evidential values’1 from its façade materials and construction techniques, giving clues about the availability of resources for past construction and the motivations for the hierarchy of spaces. Through my observational drawings that closely analyse the constructed materials and spatial qualities of the spaces, my interpretation of the building as a city block is derived. Combined with the spatial needs of the proposed new uses, framework and hierarchy was established for various degrees of intervention to preserve, repair and modify the existing built fabric in an incremental and phased process. My design work seeks to amplify its existing character, respects and expresses its processes and evolution through the years and add a further layer using a carefully considered material and construction language which facilitates the envisaged mixed use, long-term programme. The design proposal reflects the compromising process of balancing practicality and today’s needs with heritage preservation. It demonstrates my attitude to the existing fabric, reveals my research on principles of achieving economic viability and the sustaining usage of the building in the long term. It challenges the practices of ‘Façadism’ (where only the façade is preserved for a new interior)2, or ‘Victorian Restoration’ (where buildings are rebuilt in the same style to its original design), and argues for a more rigorous approach through research to understand the history of the building, and the potentials these have, in themselves, to generate a future. 1. Cadw, Conservation principles for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Wales, (Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government, 2004) 2. Kerensa Sanford Wood, Architecture of Compromise: A History and Evaluation of Façadism in Washington, DC <http://hdl. handle.net/10022/AC:P:13349> [accessed 16 March 2014]

Cardiff Bay Rail Station “Bute Street” Station Listed, derelict

12 Softening the Threshold

COAL EXCHANGE LISTED, DANGEROUS STRUCTURE

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Cambrian & Cymric Buildings Listed, in use St.Stephen’s Church Listed, in use

54 Bute Street (Pascoe House) Listed, in use


Mount Stuart Square, although designated a Conservation Area, consists of numerous magnificent historical buildings failed to secure usage. Left unoccupied, they became derelict and under Public Health Act, when deemed ‘unsafe for public safety’ would result in demolition.

SQUARE CONSERVATION AREA

Below Left: Imperial Buildings, left derelict & demolished 1980s Below Centre & Right: Gloucester Chambers, left derelict & demolished 1982

bute west dock basin

Public Health Act 1961

R DSO DE WINLANA ESP

Cardiff Bay Rail Station “Bute Street” Station Listed, derelict COAL EXCHANGE LISTED, DANGEROUS STRUCTURE

Cambrian & Cymric Buildings Listed, in use St.Stephen’s Church Listed, in use

54 Bute Street (Pascoe House) Listed, in use

FORMERLY Imperial Buildings Demolished

Dock Chambers Listed, in use Historically an open space

1-3 Bute Place Listed, unused

68-72 James St Boston Buildings Listed, in use

Baltic House Listed, in use

14 Historical Remnants

FORMERLY Gloucester Chambers Demolished

The National Westminster Bank Listed, in use

Cory’s Building Listed, unused 97-100 Bute Street Listed, in use by HSBC

Improving the Threhold between Inside and Outside 15


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1. West Roof Pavilion Drinks 1. Bar West Roof Pavilion 5. Boutique Drinks Hotel Bar Room 6 5. Boutique Hotel Room 6 2. East Pavilion Drinks Bar 2. (Repaired] East Pavilion Drinks 6. Boutique Bar (Repaired] Hotel Room 7 6. Boutique Hotel Room 7 3. South West Roof Pavilion3.(Ruin SouthHall) West Roof 7. Boutique Pavilion (Ruin HotelHall) Room 8 7. Boutique Hotel Room 8 4. Artist’s Residential Flat 4. Artist’s Residential 8. Boutique Flat Hotel Core 8. Boutique Hotel Core N

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1. Art Museum Entrance 2. Reception 3. Cloak Room 4. Gallery Cafe 5. Souvenir Shop 6a. Basement Gallery Space 6b. Informal Theatre Space 7. Exhibition Room 8. External Sculptures Courtyard 9. Workshop 1 - Pottery 10. Workshop 2 - Woodwork Carving

1. Museum3 Entrance 11. Workshop 3 - Printing 11.Art Workshop - Printing 23. Art Museum Plant Room + Store 2. 12. Workshop 4 - Hobby 12.Reception Workshop 4 - Hobby Crafts 24. Start-up & SmallCrafts Offices Hub Lobby 3. Room5 - Artists’ Sculptures 13. Workshop 5 - Artists’ Sculptures 13.Cloak Workshop 25. Bike Store 4. Cafe Lounge 14. Craftspersons’ 14.Gallery Craftspersons’ 26. Kitchen &Lounge Servery 5. Shop Rear Reception/Display 15. Arts Rear Reception/Display 15.Souvenir Arts Museum 27.Museum Security Guards’ Room 6a. Gallery Space 16. Plant Room 16. Basement Plant Room 28. Bin Store 17. Green Room 6b. Theatre Space 17. Informal Green Room 29. Management Staff Lounge 7. Hall Basement - Vaults Galleries 18.Exhibition Ruin HallRoom Basement - Vaults Galleries 18. Ruin 30. Stores 8. Sculptures Courtyard 19. Installation Art Spaces 19.External Installation Art Spaces 9. - PotteryBox Vaults & Office20. Bank Safe Deposit Box Vaults & Office 20.Workshop Bank Safe1Deposit 10. - Woodwork 21. East Plant Room & Stores 21. Workshop East Plant 2Room & StoresCarving 22. Art Museum East Lobby 22. Art Museum East Lobby

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23. Art Museum Plant Room + Store 24. Start-up & Small Offices Hub Lobby 25. Bike Store 26. Kitchen & Servery 27. Security Guards’ Room 28. Bin Store 29. Management Staff Lounge 30. Stores

1. Trading Hall Entrance Forecourt 2. Reception & Exhibition Rooms 3. Main Events Hall (Banquet Mode) 4. Flexible Bar (For Events Hire) 5. Craft in the Bay Retail Space 6. Visual Arts Gallery Space 7. Installation / Audio-Visual Art 8. Art Museum West Lobby 9. Ruin Hall - Triple Height Gallery 10. Ruin Hall - Interactive Art Gallery

1. Hall Entrance Forecourt 11. Boutique Hotel Entrance 11.Trading Boutique Hotel Entrance 21. Start-Up Offices Reception 2. Exhibition Rooms 12. Boutique Hotel + Core 12.Reception Boutique & Hotel Reception + Core 22. Print & PostReception Room 3. 13. Bank Lobby & Display Room 13.Main BankEvents LobbyHall (Banquet Mode) 23. Lounge 4. Bar (For Events Hire) 14. Bank - Customer Area 14.Flexible Bank - Customer Service Area 24. Start-up Unit Service 1 5. the Bay Retail Space Vault Access 15.Craft BankinVault Access (Safe Deposit Boxes)15. Bank 25. Start-up Unit 2(Safe Deposit Boxes) 6. Gallery Space 16. Bank Counters 16.Visual Bank Arts Counters 26. Start-up Unit 3 17. Bank Staff Office 7. Audio-Visual Art 17.Installation Bank Staff /Office 27. Start-up Unit 4 8. Museum Lobby 18. East Lobby - Large 18.Art East Lobby -West Large Offices Lobby 28. SME Unit 1 Offices Lobby 9. - Triple Height&Gallery LobbyKitchenette - Start-ups & Art Shared 19.Ruin WestHall Lobby - Start-ups Art Shared 19. West 29. Shared 10. 20. Store 20. Ruin Store Hall - Interactive Art Gallery 30. Shared Library & Meeting Rooms

[PRIVATE] 21. Start-Up Offices Reception 22. Print & Post Room 23. Lounge & Display Room 24. Start-up Unit 1 25. Start-up Unit 2 26. Start-up Unit 3 27. Start-up Unit 4 28. SME Unit 1 29. Shared Kitchenette 30. Shared Library & Meeting Rooms

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Ruin Hall: Atmospheres 17


TECTONICS / STRUCTURAL STRATEGY

‘RUIN HALL’ SECTION 1:50

SOUTH-EAST ROOF PAVILION [Lightweight & Semi-Permanent] Solid Timber Panels Construction with Galvanised Steel cladding

ROOF OVER RUIN HALL [Form to Harvest Light] Pitched Roofs Construction with Glulam and Timber / Flat roof (trafficable) at Pavilion End

FLOORING & STAIRCASES [Lightweight / Temporary] Conventional Timber Floorboards to rest on top of timber structural frame Timber Staircases, underside to be cladded with reused timber planks / trimmed panels

[ ADDITION ]

[ BUFFER ]

[ MAIN HALL ]

[ COURTYARD ]

[ NORTH WING ]

Forecourt Art Museum Foyer & Public Open Spaces

Reception into Main Hall Gallery Cafe at Entrance Heritage Exhibition Spaces

Main Hall Gallery Space at Basement

Semi-Public Courtyard Terrace Preserved Antes Rooms Basement Gallery Spaces

Intensively configured for new services Circulations and Comfort for Hotel Guests

FLOOR STRUCTURE [Lightweight / Semi-Permanent] Glulam Structural Frame for floors and supporting columns/beams Structure to anchor to masonry walls / new concrete structural frames Configurable according to needs/layout

SECTION B-B 1:100

Existing Section

MASONRY WALLS &STRUCTURAL FRAME [Heavyweight / Permanent] Concrete structural frame consists of localised columns and beams to pin to existing structure for stability. Masonry Walls to bond facades onto frame, divide spaces and visually highlight verticality of triple height spaces

EXISTING MASONRY WALLS & CHIMNEYS [Heavyweight / Aged] Masonry Walls to be pointed lightly for structural and weathering purposes. Marks and scuffs on wall to be retained.

[ LIGHT-TOUCH INTERVENTIONS ]

[ ADDITION ]

[ HEAAVY INTERVENTION ]

West Wing (Start-ups & SME Units)

Forecourt Art Museum Foyer

Ruin Hall Gallery

SECTION A-A 1:100

Existing Section

18

Section through the Ruin Hall 19


OFFICES

Gareth Cotter

OFFICES

Creating a Resilient Framework for Development

INDUSTRY

LEISURE

FLATS

INDUSTRY

Site context The Coal Exchange is a late 19th century structure located in Cardiff’s historical, and much neglected Mount Stuart Square. Once it was the beacon of Cardiff Bay’s flourishing Coal Industry, of such prestige that the worldwide price of coal was set within its halls. Now, after years of disuse and neglect, it exists as an impenetrable urban void, clad in scaffolding and slowly decaying. How then have the management and the architecture of the building led to this decay, and what strategy can be implemented in order to transform the Coal Exchange into a resilient adaptable building? This project has involved critiquing the management and architecture of the building in order to find a way to transform it for the future, but without destroying the rich layers of its history. The Coal Exchange employs a common spatial topology of 19th century institutions – the corridor and cell. This topology defines, segregates and isolates the various functions that are housed within the building. The downside of this spatial type is that it creates disconnection and isolation within the building, limiting the number of possible exchanges between the inhabitants. The benefit is that it allows for various, sometimes contradictory functions to happen at the same time within the same building, thus creating the potential for an urban environment filled with a rich variety of programmes.

Initially the Coal Exchange was a mixed-use building containing a hotchpotch of different programmes: coffee taverns, restaurants, games rooms, smoking rooms, banks and a variety of different offices. These functions all catered to the various workers involved in the bureaucratic side of the coal industry. The problem with such a vast building being engineered for one industry is that when the South Wales coal industry went into rapid decline the Coal Exchange went down with it, shutting in 1958. Although it later reopened, it only housed two functions: spaces for small business, and an events venue that utilised the old Trading Hall. The limited range of uses was not enough to safeguard the building’s former intensity, and much of the building fell into disuse. The Coal Exchange’s ‘corridor and cell’ topology is seen as a prime barrier for its redevelopment. Unlike an industrial warehouse, it does not possess flexible open spaces, but rather a conglomeration of cellular structures. Cardiff is, however, filled with examples of resilient urban form and architecture that broadly speaking cohere with this cellularity. One example is the 19th century terraced housing that has proven its resilience and adaptability. Another example is the historic arcades, which house a continuously changing collection of commercial outlets, proving itself to be remarkably flexible in the face of the massive shifts of the last century. What these examples have in common is that whilst they both create a rigid spatial framework — streets and

SOCIAL HOUSING

SUBURBS

COUNCIL

GATED FLATS

FLATS

LEISURE

GATED FLATS

MIXED USE

CULTURE

TERRACE HOUSING

GATED FLATS

OFFICES

LEISURE

BBC STUDIOS

TERRACE HOUSING

20

HOTEL

Title of the image 21 INDUSTRY


houses, alleys and shops — this is one that has allowed for innumerable adaptations. This has much to do with how the relationship between public and private space is articulated. Creating a resilient framework for the Coal Exchange How can the maligned Coal Exchange become a resilient structure, without resorting to architectural ‘taxidermy’ — gutting the inside and replacing the cells with open plans? I contend that resilience can be created through two main ways — first, by creating an adaptable spatial framework and, second, by installing uses and functions that allow for the continued evolution of the building. The building is envisaged as a creative centre containing a range of uses and institutions that avoid the pitfalls of being associated with a single industry. The programme includes a modern art gallery, a heritage museum, work and exhibition spaces for local artists, offices for creative start-ups, conference spaces, offices for larger companies and a variety of restaurants and recreation areas that are open to the public. The architectural strategy involves excavating the building in order to create new connections between isolated cells, as between the building and its urban context. The cellular division of the building is kept, as it allows for numerous contrasting uses to function, while providing a variety of spaces. New vistas, enfilades and public spaces are excavated from the structure, providing new routes and connections. The benefits of the cell are kept but its isolating characteristics are removed, allowing the Coal Exchange to become a multifaceted urban building. The strategy is one that can continue to adapt and evolve over time

22 Attitudes to Preservation

23


24


26 Lower Ground and Ground Floor Plans

New Spatial Configuration 27



Theo Ellis Building Resilience by Curating the City

Site Context Cardiff has undergone a huge transformation since its heyday as the coal metropolis of the world. Due to the single export of coal, Cardiff’s docks were particularly vulnerable to the collapse of the coal industry. Its renewal since post-industrial decline is still playing out with efforts focused on Cardiff Bay. Adjacent to the Bay lies Mount Stuart Square, containing the grand buildings of the coal industry which remain isolated, under used and dilapidated —the last remnants of a bygone era. At the heart of this dereliction lies the Coal Exchange where the global price of coal was once set, but which now lies empty and in poor condition. Cardiff Bay is currently on the verge of a second period of regeneration led by the relocation of BBC studios to the area, promising growth for Cardiff’s creative industries. Within the context of this large scale development in the Bay, this project asks how the adaptation and reactivation of the Coal Exchange could form part of, and indeed reflect a more resilient present and future economy for Cardiff. According to the Welsh Deprivation Index, Butetown, which is situated immediately to the north of Mount Stuart Square, is one of the most deprived wards in Wales (and indeed the UK). It was once noted for its religious tolerance and as has been viewed as a model of cultural assimilation within British society. The speculative developments of Cardiff Bay have brought a variety of gated communities and private estates which have continued the urban fragmentation 30

of the area. So far, the regeneration of the Bay has only been skin deep; the money hasn’t ‘trickled down’ into the Butetown communities and Mount Stuart Square has been neglected. Only 2.5% of the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation’s budget was spent on community projects, less than half of what was spent on marketing.1 Current development in the Bay is being spearheaded by the growth and promotion of creative industries in Cardiff initiated by the relocation of the BBC to the Bay. It is recognised that the shift in Cardiff’s economy towards creative industries relies on its capacity to attract, incubate and cultivate a creative milieu to compete with other cities2. Although there is a significant and varied arts scene and an established media industry in Cardiff, they arguably lack visibility within the rest of the UK and are sparsely scattered around the city and its hinterlands. Programme I argue that there needs to be a distinctive local character that sets Cardiff apart from other cities, which can be achieved by curating cultural events that engage with local people and the history of Cardiff’s port and which help attract new businesses to the area. Engaging local communities in the production and organisation of cultural events will help give a voice to a historically marginalised community and integrate it within Cardiff’s cultural future. The Coal Exchange is seen as a hub for such cultural events. 31


Various institutions would be housed in the Coal Exchange. Ian Hargreaves’s report on the state of the creative industries in Cardiff identified that a more strategic approach to funding, encompassing each of the different strands of the sector, was needed.3 A creative industries hub is proposed which would accommodate representatives from various funding institutions, from across all the sectors, including institutions like the Arts Council for Wales and the Film Agency for Wales. These would sit alongside a new Butetown Carnival Arts Centre which is proposed to establish a connection with the local communities by reinstating the historic Butetown Carnival. It takes precedent from the Luton Carnival Arts Centre in providing a home for community-based cultural events. Collecting these institutions in one place would enable them to interact and form a community of arts funders and curators. These institutions would support a number of creative industry start up units by providing seed funding, business advice, and access to shared facilities. They would be organised in a similar fashion as the Hothouse in Hackney or Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, providing a mixture of working spaces alongside an arts based programme. A cultural ‘resource centre’ would create a space of interaction by providing a series of shared facilities. This would allow a transfer of skills and knowledge between the different users and help support innovation. The Trading Hall forms the central focus point for hosting events that could include festivals, markets, installations and performances, operated by an in-house events management company, in a similar fashion to the Business Design Centre in Islington. The curated spaces are dominated by temporary events and uses, which are key for networking and interacting with a global community. On the other hand, the spaces of everyday life involved with creative work provide opportunities for interactions between the different creative industries in the building. The temporary uses of the Coal Exchange inform a broader urban strategy aiming to reactivate urban voids in the vicinity. Phasing Strategy I envisage a gradual process that is part of an overall urban strategy that mediates the large scale redevelopment of the Bay with the cultivation of 32 Butetown Carnival in 1980s

local cultural events. It would begin by securing the structure of the Coal Exchange to enable events to take place and inhabiting the existing structure with events organisers and creative industry start-ups that would occupy the lower value spaces of the building with small scale, low cost fit outs. The second phase would involve redeveloping the lower quality spaces of the Coal Exchange and curating the damaged east wing with temporary events and installations. The Creative Industries Hub would act as catalyst for intensifying the events and bring them to an urban scale. Spaces for larger and higher spec offices to accommodate for growing businesses with in the building would be part of a later construction phase. The events system would form a cycle where the events would incrementally attract creative industries which would gradually create larger events which would attract more businesses and more events. Conclusion Approaching the city as a collection of spaces to be curated has the potential to ‘[open] up new possibilities for exploring and enriching the urban fabric and the urban condition as a whole.’4 A curatorial approach to the Coal Exchange and Butetown is seen as a way of mediating the large scale forces of development in the Bay with the local communities by cultivating and showcasing the local cultures and traditions. It is a way of establishing a more resilient creative economy by weaving together different communities through the curation of events and urban spaces. 1. John Punter, ‘Design-led Regeneration? Evaluating the design outcomes of Cardiff Bay and their implications for future regeneration and design’, Journal of Urban Design, 12:3 (2007), 375-405. 2. Cardiff County Council, Cardiff’s Creative Industries Sector, Policy and Economic Development (Cardiff Council, 2006). 3. Ian Hargreaves, The Heart of Digital Wales: a review of creative industries strategy for the Welsh Assembly Government, (Welsh Assembly Government, 2010). 4. Alexandra Stara, Curating Architecture and the City (Oxford: Routledge, 2009).

33


34

Anticipated Development of Butetown 35


36 Courtyard Section

Courtyard View and Entrance 37


Priit Jürimäe Re-humanising and Democratising the Industrial Legacy of Cardiff

Site context This thesis links the historic but decaying Coal Exchange building back into Cardiff’s local economy by responding to the spatio-functional shortcomings and hidden potentials of the building and its surrounding urban context. The Coal Exchange currently stands unused, its empty mass as a reminder of Cardiff’s rise to significance as well as a symbol of the inability of the city to meaningfully incorporate the legacy of that era within its post-industrial regeneration. Current official visions for the building reflect typically capitalist imperatives of short-term gains and private consumption. Whilst its historic significance is undisputed, its present economic viability and marketability in the framework of private development is contested. In the effort to redefine Cardiff’s economy and rebrand it as a “world-class European capital city”1 the corporate and commercial needs and interests have taken precedence over the needs and interests of established communities in Butetown. This is reflected in the ways in which the redevelopment of Cardiff Bay has progressed over the last decades, with emphasis being placed on lucrative developments around the waterfront, discounting the originally dock-working communities of Tiger Bay and the former commercial area of Mount Stuart Square. Attempts to reconnect city centre with the Bay have so far only further emphasised the apparent stand-off between the 38

ethnically distinct and deprived Butetown community and the incoming residents in the Bay and Atlantic Wharf.2 As Jane Jacobs has put it, “[w]ithout a strong and inclusive central heart, a city tends to become a collection of interests isolated from one another.”3 The Coal Exchange is hence seen to have the potential to become the arena where the needs of various communities are negotiated and mediated. Programme and Intervention My thesis addresses the shortcomings of the monofunctional urban realm around the Exchange which only serves to exacerbate divisions. By providing a range of everyday amenities that cater to the adjacent neighbourhoods, the Coal Exchange will retain its original function of interchange and interaction and improve the life quality of the surrounding areas. Several pieces of evidence have helped me frame this agenda. First, my research into property values suggests that the short-sighted emphasis on exclusively residential development is echoed by declining house prices in Cardiff Bay. However, a recent ‘High Street Ahead’ study compiled by Conlumino claims that proximity of thriving independent traders can significantly contribute to the value of nearby homes.4 Second, my research on demographics highlights the socio-economic disparities in Butetown ward. Butetown ward has the unenviable position of being the 14th most

39


deprived electoral division in Wales. However, a detailed statistical analysis reveals that population characteristics are not evenly spread across the ward. Older neighbourhoods are significantly marginalised in the job market and lack qualifications, whilst the newer developments are far less so.5 Finally, our group analysis of the land usage of Mount Stuart Square demonstrates that the apparent “no-man’sland” is in fact one of the more mixed use areas in Butetown, thus suggesting scope for reinforcing this. My trips to London and Barcelona during the year were a chance to study the nature and form of mixed use urban spaces and understand the strategies that drive such ideas. My programme has developed to provide space for a range of uses in a way that addresses the findings of my research. I do not attempt to ‘solve’ issues of deprivation, but rather to provide resources that reflect my understanding of the current deficits of the area. Sport facilities are seen as valuable amenities for residential communities of different kinds as well as ones which have the potential to impact on issues of health deprivation, inequality and division.6 A mix of learning, training and business uses are seen to have the potential to link Butetown and its residents back to the strong existing educational hubs of the city – in the form of its universities and colleges. Tackling the highly localised skills deficiency will empower the population to truly take part in the economic and civil life of the city. The residential element will support the vitality of public uses, add out of hours vitality to the area and provide accommodation to a variety of household types, from singles to families.7 The Coal Exchange will be the arena where a strong brew of ideas, backgrounds and talents can unite to build on and reinforce one another.

1. Cardiff County Council, “What Matters” 2010:2020 – The 10 Year Strategy for Cardiff (Cardiff: Cardiff Council, 2011), p. 4. 2. John Punter, ‘Cardiff Bay: an exemplar of design-led regeneration?’ in Capital Cardiff 1975-2020: Regeneration, Competitiveness and the Urban Environment, ed. by Alan Hooper and John Punter (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2006), 149178 (p.164). 3. Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (New York: Random, 1961), p. 215. 4. The Guardian <http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/ nov/22/house-prices-boosted-thriving-local-trade-smallbusinesses> [Accessed 14 May 2013] 5. Ana Cláudia dos Santos Gonçalves, Cardiff, A Worldly City: The Cultural and Social Reinvention of a European Capital (unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Lisbon, 2012), pp. 124-165. 6. Jeroen Vermeulen and Paul Verweel, ‘Participation in sport: bonding and bridging as identity work’, Sport in Society, 12 (9) (2009), 1206-1219. Kristin Walseth, ‘Bridging and bonding social capital in sport— experiences of young women with an immigrant background’, Sport, Education and Society, 13(1) (2008), 1-17. 7. English Heritage, The Changing Face of the High Street: Decline and Revival (London: English Heritage, 2013).

Architecturally, my intention is to challenge the monolithic and authoritative quality of the Coal Exchange by making it more permeable and less intimidating. My programme makes use of the existing spatial qualities of the building, whilst adapting its cellular structure to new functions and trajectories. The interventions are informed by the original drawings by Edwin Seward (architect of the Coal Exchange) but with a flexible understanding of the future. 40 From Decades of Neglect to a Monument to Failure?

41


1830 ~ 1848 BUTE STREET CONSTRUCTION MOUNT STUART SQ. AS A GREEN GEORGIAN SQUARE 1836 ~ 1840 TAFF VALE RAILWAY

1841 CARDIFF BOOM CARDIFF AS MAIN PORT FOR COAL EXPORTS

1891 EASTMOOR STEELWORKS

1901 - 1905 RISE OF ‘CIVIC’ CARDIFF CATHAYS PARK DEVELOPED

1897 PIERHEAD BUILDING CONSTRUCTED

1918 BUSINESS IS HIT BY

1907 QUEEN ALEXANDER DOCK OPENED

1850 GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT TAFF RIVER DIVERTED TO ACCOMODATE CARDIFF CENTRAL TRAIN STATION

CARDIFF HISTORICAL MILESTONES

1814 2ND MARQUESS OF BUTE 1830 ~ 1848 BUTE STREET CONSTRUCTION MOUNT STUART SQ. AS A GREEN GEORGIAN SQUARE 1836 ~ 1840 TAFF VALE RAILWAY

1923 COAL INDUSTRY CRASH THROUGH AN OVER SUPPLY OF BOTH SHIPS AND CARGO FROM WHICH CARDIFF DOCKS NEVER RECOVERED

1880s

1891 EASTMOOR STEELWORKS

FATE OF COAL EXCHANGE

1901 - 1905 RISE OF ‘CIVIC’ CARDIFF CATHAYS PARK DEVELOPED

1897 PIERHEAD BUILDING CONSTRUCTED

1890s

1900s

1850 GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT TAFF RIVER DIVERTED TO ACCOMODATE CARDIFF CENTRAL TRAIN 1886 STATION

1883 - 1886 COAL EXCHANGE BY SEWARD & THOMAS BUILT OVER 3 YEARS

1907 1910-30s QUEEN ALEXANDER DOCK OPENED

1901 ACHIEVES FAME WHEN THE FIRST EVER £1m DEAL IS STRUCK AT COAL EXCHANGE

FIRST USED AS THE PLACE WHERE BUSINESSMEN, SHIPPING FIRMS AND COAL MINE OWNERS MET TO FIX BUSINESS DEALS

1880s

MOUNT STUART SQ. AS A GREEN GEORGIAN SQUARE

1984 ATLANTIC WHARF DEVELOPED

1947 DEATH OF BUTE IV BUTE NOW ONLY OWNS CARDIFF CASTLE & SOPHIA GARDENS

1841 CARDIFF BOOM CARDIFF AS MAIN PORT FOR COAL EXPORTS

1839 BUTE WEST DOCK OPENED

1979 WELSH DEVOLUTION REFERENDUM

THE WWI

1839 BUTE WEST DOCK OPENED

CHANGES TO COAL EXCHANGE

CARDIFF HISTORICAL MILESTONES FATE OF COAL EXCHANGE CHANGES TO COAL EXCHANGE

1814 2ND MARQUESS OF BUTE

1948 NATIONALISATION OF PORTS & RAILWAYS

1918 BUSINESS IS HIT BY

1979 WELSH DEVOLUTION REFERENDUM

THE WWI 1940-60s 1923 COAL INDUSTRY CRASH THROUGH AN OVER SUPPLY OF BOTH SHIPS AND CARGO FROM WHICH CARDIFF DOCKS NEVER RECOVERED

1970-80s

1958 1947 DEATH OF BUTE IV OF BUTE DOCKS DECLINE BUTE NOW COAL ONLY EXCHANGE OWNS CARDIFF SUFFERS CASTLE & SOPHIA GARDENS

1984 ATLANTIC WHARF DEVELOPED

1976-1979 PROPOSED AS HOME TO WELSH ASSEMBLY

1948 NATIONALISATION OF PORTS & RAILWAYS

1890s

1900s

1910-30s

1940-60s

1901 ACHIEVES FAME WHEN THE FIRST EVER £1m DEAL IS STRUCK AT COAL EXCHANGE

1886 FIRST USED AS THE PLACE WHERE BUSINESSMEN, SHIPPING FIRMS AND COAL MINE OWNERS MET TO FIX BUSINESS DEALS 1893

SOUTH WEST WING EXTENSION INCONSISTENT PHASED DEVELOPMENT WHERE ORIGINAL SCHEME WAS NOT FULLY EXECUTEED

1894 - 1897 WEST WING CONSTRUCTION QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP CHANGES FROM BATH STONE TO FAIR FACED BRICKWORK WITH STONE DRESSINGS

1898 BANK CONSTRUCTED IN FRONT OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE

1911-1912 SHIPPING & TRADING HALL INTERIORS RECONSTRUCTED BY EDWIN SEWARD

1961 DECEMBER COAL EXCHANGE FINALLY CLOSING - CEASES TRADING

2000s

1984 CONSIDERED AS POTENTIAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION CENTRE

1988 COAL EXCHANGE TAKEN OVER BY CARDIFF BAY DEVELOPMENT 1990s CORPORATION

1976-1979 PROPOSED AS HOME TO WELSH ASSEMBLY

1970s INTERIOR ALTERED INSERTION OF FALSE CEIL ING IN EXCHANGE HALL

-

1975 BECOMES GRADE II LISTED

1883 - 1886 COAL EXCHANGE BY SEWARD & THOMAS BUILT OVER 3 YEARS

1893 SOUTH WEST WING EXTENSION INCONSISTENT PHASED DEVELOPMENT WHERE ORIGINAL SCHEME WAS NOT FULLY EXECUTEED

1894 - 1897 WEST WING CONSTRUCTION QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP CHANGES FROM BATH STONE TO FAIR FACED BRICKWORK WITH STONE DRESSINGS

1898 BANK CONSTRUCTED IN FRONT OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE

1911-1912 SHIPPING & TRADING HALL INTERIORS RECONSTRUCTED BY EDWIN SEWARD

1961 DECEMBER COAL EXCHANGE FINALLY CLOSING - CEASES TRADING

1970s INTERIOR ALTERED INSERTION OF FALSE CEIL ING IN EXCHANGE HALL

1984 CONSIDERED AS POTENTIAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION CENTRE

1975 BECOMES GRADE II LISTED

1994 STRUCTURAL REPORT BUILDING ‘DANGEROUS’

1988 COAL EXCHANGE TAKEN OVER

1984 SEPTEMBER BY CARDIFF BAY DEVELOPMENT EAST WING GUTTED BY FIRE CORPORATION

1920s

1950s

1970s

2001 COAL EXCHANGE SOLD TO 2005 PLANNING APPLICATION MACOB AND TRANSFORMED BY MACOB INTO MUSIC EVENTS VENUE (DESIGN STATEMENT & LISTED ARCHI FABRIC 2002 APPRAISAL BY AUKETT VENUE PLAYS HOST TO FITZROY ROBINSON)

Total consumption

2007 CLOSED AGAIN FOR REFURBISHMENT

1994 STRUCTURAL REPORT BUILDING ‘DANGEROUS’

1984 SEPTEMBER EAST WING GUTTED BY FIRE

2001 COAL EXCHANGE SOLD TO MACOB AND TRANSFORMED INTO MUSIC EVENTS VENUE

2009 REOPENS AS AN ENTERTAINMENT VENUE

1990s

2009 REOPENS AS AN ENTERTAINMENT VENUE

MAY REPORT CONFIRMED DANGEROUS STRUCTURE -

JUNE - BUILDING ACT SECTION 78 NOTICE ISSUED TO MACOB TO ‘TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO MAKE SAFE’

Total consumption

2007 CLOSED AGAIN FOR REFURBISHMENT

1980s

2013 CLOSED FOLLOWING

FIRE DEPT EVACUATED MAIN BUILDING

2002 VENUE PLAYS HOST TO WELSH MUSIC AWARDS

1978 CAR PARK BUILT ACROSS ENTRANCE FORECOURT

1900s

2010s

WELSH MUSIC AWARDS

EVOLUTION OF MOUNT STUART SQUARE AREA 1880s

2014 MACOB BANKRUPTCY

2014 MACOB BANKRUPTCY

2000 CARDIFF BAY DEVELOPMENT COPORATION WOUND UP

1981 MOUNT 1987 STUART SQ LISTED CONSIDERED AS HOTEL AS CONSERVATION AREA

1981 MOUNT STUART SQ LISTED AS CONSERVATION AREA

-

2005 PLANNING APPLICATION BY MACOB (DESIGN STATEMENT & LISTED ARCHI FABRIC APPRAISAL BY AUKETT FITZROY ROBINSON)

2000s

1978 CAR PARK BUILT ACROSS ENTRANCE FORECOURT

MOUNT STUART SQ. AS A GREEN GEORGIAN SQUARE

2010s

2000 CARDIFF BAY DEVELOPMENT COPORATION WOUND UP

1987 CONSIDERED AS HOTEL

1970-80s

1958 DECLINE OF BUTE DOCKS COAL EXCHANGE SUFFERS

1990s

Total output 2013 POST-2000s CLOSED FOLLOWING MAY REPORT CONFIRMED DANGEROUS STRUCTURE FIRE DEPT EVACUATED MAIN BUILDING JUNE - BUILDING ACT SECTION 78 NOTICE ISSUED TO MACOB TO ‘TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO MAKE SAFE’

Total output

EVOLUTION OF MOUNT STUART SQUARE AREA 1880s

42

1900s

1920s

1950s

1970s

1980s

1990s

POST-2000s

43


Crimes Reported August 2013

Legend theft from person anti-social behaviour drugs arsony and criminal damage burglary bike theft theft public order shoplifting vehicle crime violence and sexual offenses other crime

Conclusions The residential areas of Grangetown, Butetown and Cardiff Bay have lower crime rates compared to the uniquely leisure- and commercially oriented areas in the city centre and Mermaid Quay. Nonetheless, burglaries and theft can take place when residents are at work. Mount Stuart Square also suffers from crime, probably due to lack of activity (especially at night). A mixed use development that engages with public space both at night and during the day could help prevent and reduce crime in the Bay area.

Butetown House Price Report 2009 Extracted from information produced by Land Registry covering the period from the beginning of April 2000 to the end of February 2009. Legend residential area greenery and open space commercial highest number of sales highest sale prices lowest sale prices

highest sale price/street

XX £XXXXXX £XXXXXX number of sales/street

lowest sale price/street

Conclusions

44 Taxonomy of Spaces

Number of sales and house prices are higher in areas with a strong commercial core. Areas that are cut off from amenities and surrounding neighbourhoods suffer from lower prices and slower real estate business. Mount Stuart Sq sits between areas with diverse housing. Currently a no-man’s-land, it has potential to become the link between those areas, enriching the Cardiff Bay environment for all residents and users.

Taxonomy of Existing Spaces 45


MOUNT STUA

RT SQUARE 1

4

3

11

2

14

15

12

13

University of South Wales

Cardiff University

5

5a

9

?

10 5

COA LE XC HA NG E

extralocal businesses

15a

5a

tourists

15a 5

23

5a

24

22

22

24

BUSINESS SCHOOL

hire rate abo o c ll ise adv

hire stud ent s

finance

15a

ETHICAL BANK & COMMERCIAL AREAS

use services

START-UPS

21

5a 5

15a

15

(light) CENTRAL SPORTS HALL SWIMMING POOL & GYM (dark)

mo rtg ag es /

s ser lu tia en fer pre

Local Arts and Crafts Network (Cardiff and Vale College: Cardiff Bay Creative Centre)

RESIDENTIAL

6a

18

MEMBERS OF NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES

17

COMMON FACILITIES

7e

7b

Lloyd George Avenue: New recreation and sports areas

19a

16 25

7a

us ew ork sh op s

use rs

reg ula rb an kin gs erv ice s

use production services and hire workshop spaces

SOCIAL COHESION

18

6

/ h ire spa ces

microfin ance / regular bankin g servi ces

us ef or leis ure

org anis ew ork sho ps

20

ies nit me ea us

tourists

as ide rns ess nte sin s/i bu ce w nti ne pre est ap dt al an oc ate el cre hir

collabo rate genera te new ideas

collaborate

19b

25

19c

7d

7c 27 8

8

Canal Park: Existing recreation ground

sis ta nc e

an dk no w-

ho w

26

ouse

Baltic H

Buildings

Post room/security Take-away counter open to street Retail units (divisible) Retail storage Fitness centre/swimming pool reception area Reception desk and office Changing/WC/showers for both sexes Cardio area Weights area Outdoor gym area Swimming pool Plunge pool Sauna Steam sauna Plant rooms Exhibition space (joinery workshop during initial stages) Art installation area beneath plinth (construction workshop during initial stages) Skate park installed in the circular cut-out in the plinth

16

T MOUSNQUARE RT STUA

Entrance to business school and start-up incubation centre 13 14 Lounge and reception to business school and start-ups 15 Relaxed computer zone 15a IT suite/hot desking space 16 Start-up office units, can be joined 17 Rotating service/storage/WC/display core 18 Coffee shop/sback bar 19a Kitchen 19b Ceramics workshop 19c Joinery workshop 20 Printmaking 21 Photography darkroom 22 Rotating service/storage/WC core with large sinks 23 Beauty parlour (Cardiff and Vale College) 24 Light gallery for start-up promotion events 25 Toilets 26 Lift motor room 27 Porter’s lodge

14

46 Programmatic Connections within the Building

1 2 3 4 5 5a 6 6a 7a 7b 7c 7d 7e 8 9 10 11 12

23

c

as

20

Cardiff and Vale College

on cti tru ons

Lower ground floor plan


Terry Lai Chuck Choo Community Resilience: The Coal Exchange as an Interface between the Butetown Community and Cardiff

Site context The Coal Exchange is a Grade II Listed building of prime importance in the history of the coal industry and Cardiff. In the 20th century, it was an important centre of the industrialised world, where prices and deals were struck on coal. Once it was a prestigious building, but is today on the verge of dereliction. Declared unsafe in June 2013, the building has been closed from the public as it awaits a decision on its future – as a conservation site or redevelopment project. While the building is slowly crumbling, both its future use and governance are disputed. Following the economic crash of 2008, current owners of the Coal Exchange found themselves with no means to finance the cost of repairs and works for which they obtained planning permission in 2005. The Council, on the other end, has an obligation to the building due to its historical value in a designated Conservation Area. Neither the public nor private sector has yet managed to produce a scheme which is both commercially viable and respectful to the historical fabric. In my research work, I became interested in the nearby community of Butetown. Previously known as Tiger Bay, Butetown is a neighbourhood that has been closely related to the Coal Exchange and Mount Stuart Square throughout the history of the coal industry. While the Coal Exchange was a commercial centre visited by businessman trading coal, Tiger Bay was home to thousands of people from various parts of the world, which converged towards the growing coal industry in 48

Cardiff to work in the docks. It was said to have a strong sense of community and rich multi-culturalism. “There wasn’t only a variety of religion, but also nationalities. We were kids playing in the streets and we were all of different nationalities, the parents were of different nationalities. There was among us total acceptance.” (Phylis, 86 years old, previous resident of Tiger Bay)1

Together with the Coal Exchange, Tiger Bay represents an important fragment of the physical memory of the coal industry and the crucial place it had in the growth of Cardiff as a city. Unfortunately, in the past decades, this rich history and culture has been neglected in the surrounding redevelopment of Cardiff Bay, which instead created a brand new physical environment detached from its context and history. Today, Tiger Bay and the Coal Exchange display characteristics of islands, separated physically, demographically and socially from the rest of the city. Meanwhile, Cardiff fails to recognise its legacy as an industrial city. My design thesis concentrates on recognising the importance of the Coal Exchange and its relationship with Tiger Bay, to reintegrate both places within greater Cardiff and its future development. Considering the severe aftermath of the 2008 economic crash. Here, resilience is interpreted fundamentally to signify adaptability, where the Coal Exchange is given a programme, an economic strategy and architectural approach, which will ensure its continuity in the future.


MAIN SQUARE: - used by everyone, of every age -shared by everyone but where clusters of people of common interests naturally group together -mainly a destination but easily accessible -interaction between strangers may occur

SMALL SQUARE: - usually dominated by a certain group of people who would feel familiar to the space and consider it theirs -smaller than a main square -usually part of a route and thus very accessible -interaction between strangers may occur -space has a certain identity related to the people who use it very often

STREET: - used by everyone, of every age - Very active area, where people come and go - both a destination and a route - interaction between strangers may occur - a centre of various activities that attracts everyone

ARCADE: - used by everyone, of every age - A route - interaction occasionally occurs but mainly between people who know each other - may have a certain identity reflecting the immediate surroundings

PUBLIC BUILDING: - specific use - A destination - routes leading to it/ space around sometimes intense in activity - interaction occasionally occurs between people of common interests

PRIVATE BUILDING: - specific use - A destination - private space - occasional visitor with an aim - reflects a specific identity

FIRST FLOOR

COAL EXCHANGE AS A CITY

GROUND FLOOR

NOLLI PLAN

NOLLI PLAN

INVERTED NOLLI PLAN

INVERTED NOLLI PLAN

SMALL SQUARE

MAIN SQUARE

STREET

SMALL SQUARE

ARCADE

STREET

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

ARCADE

PRIVATE BUILDINGS

PRIVATE BUILDINGS

Programme

interaction could occur.

My approach to the programme and the building emerged from an understanding of the needs of the Butetown community and the future economic development of Cardiff. Focussing on the current emergence of creative industries, the Coal Exchange will house a training centre facility, which will revolve around the exchange of information and collaboration, occurring at different levels of interaction. It will be a centre for various people at different stages in the development of their business- from individual to a more established and economically viable companies, via start-up businesses.

1. Phyllis, interviewed by author, 28th October 2013. 2. Rupert Hall, ‘Wales Millennium Centre Boss addresses Cardiff breakfast Club’, Wales Online, 28th February 2014 <http://www. walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/wales-millenniumcentre-boss-addresses-6755084> [accessed 1 March 2014].

Led by a social enterprise, comprised partly of members of the Butetown community and Mount Stuart Square artist community, the Coal Exchange provides the neighbourhood with an opportunity to reintegrate with the city, adapt to its future development, and still preserve its identity. At the same time, the Coal Exchange will in turn benefit the greater part of the city by providing an up-and-coming centre for creative industries. The managing director of the Wales Millennium Centre underlined in an interview the increasing contribution of the creative industries to the regional economy and describes Cardiff as ‘a creative cluster with key players in the media and the performing arts’.2 The Coal Exchange will thus have a significant role in supporting this major drive for creative industries by forming a strong basis for the development of a creative environment. Design approach Due to the nature of the programme and the focus on social interaction and exchange points, the Coal Exchange has been interpreted as a city. This idea is further supported by the seemingly inflexible cellular structure of the building, which in fact gave the opportunity for a variety of spaces with various levels of intimacy. Separated into various groups and levels of interaction, corridors were considered as arcades, common facilities as public buildings, break out spaces as small squares, individual offices as private buildings and the main exchange hall as the market square provide various spaces where both formal and informal

50 Coal Exchange as a City

51


One of the key distinctions between an organic/natural city and a planned/artificial city involves the speed at which cities change, while another relates to the scale of the development. Organically growing cities develop much more slowly than those which are planned. Cities which grow naturally are formed from a myriad of individual decisions at a much smaller scale than those which are lead to planned growth, which invariably embodies the actions of somewhat larger agencies. The basic organic model involves the growth of a town from some centre of initial growth or seed the growth proceeding in compact from around the centre in waves of developments, like the rings of a tree. This growth, however is likely to be distorted by radial lines of transportation along which growth often proceeds faster due to increased access to the centre, the ultimate form of town thus ressembling some star-like shape. In fact, this model presumes that growth is not constrained by the need for some defensive wall, and until the middle ages and beyond, such walls tented to minimise distortion forced by the radial and nodal structure of the town in its region. The Coal exchange grows gradually, like an organic city. Constrained by the structural stability of the wings, activity nonetheless inhabitates the various spaces within the Coal Exchnage, in an organic manner i.e around the circulation cores.

52 Market: Redefining the Meaning of Exchange

CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTH EAST WING

OCCUPATION OF EAST WING

NORTH WING DISMANTLED AND CONSTRUCTION START ON EAST WING

OF THE COAL EXCHNAGE WEST WING, ANTE SPACES AND EXCHANGE HALL

CONSTRUCTION STARTS

PRE- OPENING: PUBLIC AWARENESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE

Structural stability of the Coal Exchange can be compared to the medieval walls of an organic city. They direct the pattern of growth but eventually fails to hold back development.

Processes of Growth 53


54 Activation of the Surrounding Urban Voids



Dan Liu From Coal Exchange to Renewables Exchange

Site context The thesis project is primarily interested in the roles singular buildings play in the economic narrative of the history of a city. By understanding the reasons they are created, who are they built for and what purposes they serve, the research aims to identify the relevant socio-economic circumstances that could link the particularities of a place to our present realities. Recreating potential economic links and reconnecting with a strong social ecosystem that is capable of remedying the existing spatial uncertainties is key in providing urban resilience.

continuing the lineage of being the heart of the Welsh energy industry, the building of Coal Exchange and the surrounding Mount Stuart Square could be the viable vehicle for the future development of the renewable energy sector. The thesis therefore uses the analogy of the changing energy industry and resources to inform how a building could be reshaped to accommodate future sustainability based on a glorious but unsustainable past.

The Cardiff Coal and Shipping Exchange is a response to a specific need coming from a particular resource that fuelled the economy of Cardiff for more than a hundred years. With the last ship leaving the docks packed with the coal excavated in the Welsh valleys, a period of dereliction began for Cardiff Bay. By investigating the nature of the economic shock that placed Butetown in its current situation, I consider whether the area is capable of returning to a similar purpose and power the future of the Welsh economy, despite the considerable differences in economic and technological circumstances since the Industrial Revolution.

The primary programme involves a two-pronged approach: the purpose of the project is not only to cater for the needs of potential producers and investors of renewable energy, but also aims to raise public awareness of the imminence of climate change. It is vital to communicate the responsibilities of consumers and citizens, as the future of clean energy sector depends as much on the public reception and acceptance as on innovation. For families, school groups and the general public visiting the National Energy Science Museum, the exhibitions offer insight into the cultural and historical significance of the building together with the legacy of coal mining in South Wales. It is important to understand the connection of the building with the surrounding Butetown and how its current population is related to the history of Cardiff Bay.

Living in an era of increasing energy demand and facing the consequences of climate change, the issue of securing a reliable and clean power resource for the future has become a paramount goal. By

The remaining parts of the Coal Exchange building accommodate the Renewable Energy Collaboration Centre which offers a meeting place between the start-up entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists who

58

59


are interested in investing in the emerging renewables sector. It is also accessible by the public who are encouraged to purchase clean technologies for their homes or workplaces. Essentially, the Renewables Exchange is not so different from the Coal and Shipping Exchange in a sense that it serves the purpose of selling and investing. The new institution offers ‘incubation’ spaces for start-up companies and assists university research spin-off research projects to become viable business ventures. The services include professional and legal help, marketing assistance and exposure to angel investment and seed funding opportunities. Currently there is a lack of defined place that serves the needs of the growing clean technology industry and binds together the diverse sectors that are associated with it. The architectural interaction with the original building fabric is inspired by the subtle approach of the Astley Castle renovation project by Witherford Watson Mann. The spatial transformation is sensitive to the original spatial logic of the building whilst catering for the new functions. The architectonic approach emphasises the distinction between the new and old by clearly contrasting heaviness with lightness. The two new materials introduced include light timber structure, resting on top of the old parts and heavy in-situ concrete reinforcing and - only where it is necessary - complementing the gaps within the old masonry walls. In a larger urban scale, Mount Stuart Square is envisioned as a new hub for emerging green energy companies. In fact the process has already started, as the headquarters of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Wales is located in Baltic House, opposite to Coal Exchange. The vicinity of the Welsh National Assembly Building and St. David’s Hotel (the venue for the annual Wales Green Energy Award), also strengthen this vision. By revitalising Butetown by encouraging entrepreneurship and creating business incentives, not only a physical connection is created with Cardiff City Centre, but also a strong economic one.

60 Adaptive Cycles and Timelines

61


62 Resilience and Shock Recovery

The Green Corridor 63


64 Critical Resources and Assets

Renewable Energy Collaboration Centre 65



Aoife Rath-Cullimore

there was and is a Mosque and when we were school children,Muslim Boys, were given a half day off every week to go and learn the Quran, not that they did, they would skive off as kids do you know! the catholic boys were given the Thursday afternoon and they all went swimming in the afternoon! the rest of us, church of wales,every saints day we would march to church to honour whatever saint it was and then we would have the afternoon off so you know, it was worth it!

Common Ground: Creating a Place of Exchange between Different Cultures, Communities and Economies

Played in the park in Loudoun Square...park keeper and the fountain

Site Context Living with people who differ — racially, ethnically, religiously or economically — is one of the most difficult challenges facing civil society today […] Traditionally, rituals have encouraged human beings to bond with others; in modern society, however, traditional forms of rituals are waning. We need to develop new forms of secular, civic rituals that make us more skillful in dealing and communicating with others.1

In Butetown, a tradition of cooperation and communication between people of different backgrounds, races and religions is connected to the history of Tiger Bay. In the 1800s, with the boom of the coal industry and the Coal Exchange, Butetown became the most ethnically diverse place in Wales, reflecting Cardiff’s international links through trade. The people of Butetown celebrated difference through cultural rituals and events, such as the Eid Procession and Butetown Carnival. Evidence suggests that the rituals and celebrations that marked these differences brought the community together and helped to forge a sense of common ground. However, the 1960’s redevelopment of Tiger Bay not only displaced these people but also these rituals and traditions. The marginalisation of Butetown through the urban organisation and development of the Bay suggests that there has been little communication between politicians, planners and the people on the ground. This lack of communication has resulted in a loss of 68

appreciation of the legacy and potential richness of multiculturalism in the Bay. Without understanding the uniqueness of the place, local planning authorities and developers communicated their own ideals through the planning of the Bay. The redevelopment of Tiger Bay has created physical boundaries between different communities, but has also created psychological and cultural boundaries of exclusion, separation and discrimination. The memories, histories and present day voices of Butetown are in danger of being both ignored and lost, and the risk is the creation of a sterile, mono-functional redevelopment. The project builds on the social legacy of cultural inclusivity in the Butetown community. The Coal Exchange is linked to an industry that is now obsolete, however the legacy that it has left behind is rich and multicultural. I argue that it is the diversity and cooperation of this community that has made it resilient over time. However, an outlet is needed to share this knowledge and give the excluded a voice. The existing building has not been resilient to its changing context over time. Physically, it is an almost impenetrable mass. It was built with hierarchy and grandeur in mind but is not particularly accessible. The challenge of this project is to connect this building with its surrounding context and find ways to make this building a communicator and a mediator between different communities and place.

our seaside, it wasn’t Barry Island or…It was the canal…When the ships came in they would dump all the sand on the side of the bank. And what would we do in the summer and on the weekend? We would go down to the sand with a bottle of pop, sandwiches…

‘The Floor’...that was the place where the trading took place. And there was this magnificent man, in his magnificent uniform...Yeah, you wouldn’t DARE set a foot on that floor…If he caught you he would threaten you with reporting you to your boss, for walking on ‘the floor’

Bute Street and that was magic. Anything you would want, on Bute street we had it! Pubs, jewellery shop, sweet shop, Chinese restaurant, Chinese laundry…everything!

Bute Street and that was magic. Anything you would want, on Bute street we had it! Pubs, jewellery shop, sweet shop, Chinese restaurant, Chinese laundry…everything!


Resilient Communities: The legacy of the Coal Industry in Cardiff Bay (1800-2013)

Expression of Cultural Identity: Religious Institutions There weren’t only a variety of religions, there were a variety of nationalities...we didn’t stop and think it was ‘weird’...There was amongst us a total acceptance, we knew no different...Muslims would participate in Christmas and Christians would participate in Eid...” - Freddy, ref. 1940’s

Intervening in the Coal Exchange: ‘the social exchange’ — engaging ritual-memory-exchange

Exchange Structures create a network within the building of mediating spaces that connect different uses and users. These spaces allow for the informal Key to reintegration within the community and the or formal exchange between differing people to create connection to place is the galvanising of this ritual Greek Orthodox Church 1906 social collaborations and networks. The Exchange of exchange — everyday meetings, informal and The Greek Orthodox church Structures create a mediating point within the Coal was set up— by between Greek sail-people of different formal exchange ors who settled in Tiger Exchange that allows for a common ground for cultures. bay. The project builds on the rituals of exchangeSt.Mary’s Church 1175 and engagement. First cooperation mosque built in Britain. and communication between difference and the This mosque has been re-built the decades Sennett, but is still 1. Richard Together: The Rituals, Pleasures and Politics importance of engagement with that difference that over in the same position it was in of Cooperation (London: Penguin, 2013). Mosque El-..1942 over 70 years ago. promotes mutual understanding. The Coal Exchange Firstbecomes mosque built in Britain. This Exchange. The aim of a place of Social Mosque El-..1942 mosque has been re-built over the decades is still in look the same thebut project is to at both historical and existing First mosque built in Britain. position it was in over 70 years ago. This mosque has been re-built over elements of cultural diversity within the area and the decades but is still in the same position it was in over 70 consider the scope for building on processes of years ago. exchange, inclusion and communication. These processes are interpreted spatially, programmatically and strategically, building on the social legacy and collective memory of the place.

Immigration based on Coal Import/Export to Tiger Bay UK Ports

...And it was people of different faiths. There were muslims and Christians and people who did not believe in anything...When we have festivals we are going to march in the street and encourage people, whether muslim or not, to participate like they used to” - Mr. Abdoh, 2013

‘Tiger Bay’

Immigration based on trade Coal trade links-Most Diverse Community in the UK 1900’s

X 52 Nationalities

3rd Largest UK Port

Resilient Cultural Instituitions; Facing Destruction through Marginalization? “The religious buildings that have survived the mass demolition of Tiger Bay bear witness to the diverse population of the past and stand as a shrine to the living and working together of people of different cultures” - Betty Cambell, Butetown, 2013 A cohesive Inclusive community with Identity

1900s

A Community loosing Identity through Marginalization

2013

The programme St.Pauls for the Coal Exchange focuses on Methodist Church modes of communication and cooperation between First mosque built in Britain. This mosque has been re-built decades people of different backgrounds (workover andthesocial but is still in the same position it was in over years ago. backgrounds). The new70‘Social Exchange’ houses a mix of university of media, communication The faculty Paddle Steamer and culture, incubator units and media and cultural First mosque built in Britain. This mosque has been re-built over the decades businesses, working in collaboration with each other but is still in the same position it was in communication over 70 years ago. techniques and in developing new airing existing voices. The aim 1900s of therebuilt programme is Mosque 1960 to redefine the image of the area through community First mosque built in Britain. This mosque has been engagement events and re-establishing there-built rituals over of the decades but is still in the same position it was in over 70 cooperation. years ago. The interventions in the fabric of the Coal Exchange Connection, Respect andJust Understanding are conceived asMutual ‘Exchange Structures’. as This mutual respect and understanding between cooperation between different communities and faiths and cultures is being lostthrough the marginalization of the community cultures requires understanding, respect and dialogue, The Coal Exchange Exchange Structures cohabit with the existing building, use theThe building as a host buta also pump new Coal exchange was not religious instituition, nor does it represent a resilient one. However, it life and energy into The structures act in mutual does it. symbolise the diverse community that it created the success of its industry. understanding tothrough the building, but their appearance is strikingly different. They do not ‘belong’ to it but rather their architecture is free for interpretation by the user and connects to the wider urban realm. These spaces act as coexisting elements that open up the building, making it accessible, legible and communicative with St.Cuthberts Catholic Church 1900s the user. They are on the boundary point between different uses, acting as a ‘membrane condition’, creating a shared, porous and engaging space. The

70

Bethel Baptist Church 1920 The Bethel Baptist church is now facing demolition. It is yet another example of the extinction of Tiger Bay’s diverse past

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HERITAGE VALUE

1883-1886

1894-1891

1893

10 9

9 9 6

1c

8

11

8

7

8 8

13

12

12

south facade

east facade

north facade

north facade 5

1b

1d

3

ARCHITECTURAL DIVERSITY

2

DIVERSITY IN THE BUILDINGS FACADE-different buildings within the same building, not a rhythmically unified facade

1a

see it as a city street with possibility for intervention and updating

4

STRUCTURAL STABILITY/DAMAGE The structural damage in the building tells just as much about its history (economic & social) as the does the phased development of the building (building works based on economic provisions at the time)

9

4

4 4

4 1c

7

4

7

6 5

4 8 8

4

10

2

1b 1d 3

POSSIBILITIES FOR DISRUPTION + INTERVENTION

11

1a

11

4

[printed on trace]

72 Elevation Strategy

Ground and First Floor Plans 73


Component Parts: Structural + Social

Existing Roof Light New Glazing installed

Existing Roof Trusses Retained and supported by new structure

Existing Brick Piers/Piles 12m underground to hardcore re-used to support new structure

Roof Support Structure Steel 305 universal Beams

Steel Hanging Cables Support hanging pods

‘Interview Pod’ (Dialogic) Private Intimate Pod

Discussion Pod Group Discussions Meetings Seminars

_ Co-Existing Response Assembled Structure Steel Landing Bolted to hanging pod for rigidity

WC Pods Informal/chance Social interaction

Self Supporting Perforated Steel walkway Supported on Existing and new structure Social Landings (informal)

ngrid butetow

Widened shared space Public Choice of Activity

Meeting Room (Formal) Sound insulated Private meeting room Formal/organised interaction Information Point

id sgr dock

Structure Responds to Coal Exchange Grid

Existing Structure Structure Response to Existing StructuralResponds Grid to Coal Exchange Grid

Locator reception Programme Events

Circulation Wraps through the structure + responds to sur rounding context Circulation Wraps around structure + responds to surrounding context

Pop Out Screen/Window Connection to Public realm View to Function Inside Projection Screen

Kitchenette (informal) Shared resource tea break chats Chance meetings social area

_ Construction Phasing

305 UC (305x305x198)

End Plate Welded to Column

Column Base Bolt and Resin Fixed to existing brick pile/pier

End Plate Welded to Wailer and vertical column

‘Wailers’ Horizontal Facade Retention 305 UC (305x305x189)

Facade to be retained by new structure

Existing Masonry Walls

Pop Out Doors and Windows legibilty from street Highlight entrances View into activity within

Existing Brick Piers/Piles 12m underground to hardcore re-used to support new structure

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