Image: Louise Reed
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The facts
Client: Wales Millennium Centre
Ltd
Location: Cardiff, South East
Wales
Services:
Architecture
Sector: Arts &
Culture
Contract Type: Develop and
Construct
Project Value:
£106m
Start/Completion: March 2002 – Sept
2004
The project
The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) in
Cardiff is a cultural icon.
Not only is it the first national cultural
institution to be built in Wales for over half a century, it is has
played host to royalty, renowned Russian ballerinas and even
provides a backdrop for the BBC’s Torchwood.
Nestled at the heart of the city’s revitalised
Bay area, the WMC comprises a self contained artistic community
featuring the likes of the Welsh National Opera Company, Diversions
Dance Company, Welsh Amateur Music Federation - plus a variety of
other creative organisations - providing a rich and varied
programme of educational and entertainment events.
Designed by our architecture division - Capita
Architecture - the Centre’s forms and materials are unique, having
been inspired by elements of the Welsh landscape as well as the
nation's social and cultural traditions.
At the core of the building is the Donald
Gordon theatre which defines a new precedent for high performance
in both natural acoustic and amplified sound. Seating over 1,700,
the auditorium has undoubtedly established the Wales Millennium
Centre as a world class venue for visiting productions of all
types.
Capita Architecture also designed the second
phase of the WMC project - BBC
Hoddinott Hall - which sits on the same site.
Awards
- RICS Wales Regeneration Award 2005
- RIBA National Award 2005
- MIPIM Leisure and Tourism Award 2005
- National Eisteddfod of Wales 2005: Gold Medal for
Architecture
- ICE Wales George Gibby Award 2005
- Cardiff Council Building Control Built In Quality Award
2004
- South Wales LABC Built In Quality Award 2004
- European Steel Design Awards 2005
- CIOB Construction Manager of the Year Award 2005
- The Plaisterers Trophy 2005
- FX Magazine International Interior Design Award 2006:
‘best entertainment or leisure
venue’