Cardiff Uni students consider future of city as competition launches to reimagine centre

Cardiff University students are considering the future of the city as a competition launches to reimagine Cardiff’s centre.

The Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) has launched the competition, which will generate original design ideas for Central Square in the heart of the city.

Cardiff University students and local residents have described the city centre as “soulless and grim”, according to Wales Online.

Since its redevelopment began in 2014, discussions surrounding the square’s design have often centred around its supposed lack of personality.

‘A world-class public realm’

via Canva

The RSAW hopes the ideas will transform the centre into a “world-class public realm that reflects the spirit of Cardiff and enhances the everyday experience for all who use it.”

The competition seeks “visionary concepts to enhance the public realm” and “improve inclusivity, connectivity, and sustainability in this key, high-footfall civic gateway.”

With a focus on Central Square, this conceptual design competition must accommodate flexibility within the space and provide linkage options to adjacent areas, including Wood Street and Westgate Street.

All entries will be displayed, and the winning entry will be announced during RSAW’s final Design Week event at The Parkgate Hotel on the evening of Friday 10th October, and online via RSAW’s social media accounts.

‘It would be nicer to see something that reflects the city and its history’

Speaking about the current city centre space, two Cardiff architecture students, Kai James and Ella Cheney, told The Cardiff Tab: “It works as an entrance to Cardiff, but if you look at the views from other main stations, theirs are much more interesting. It would be nicer to see something that reflects the city and its history.”

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When questioned on whether the square lacked personality, they added: “People come to Cardiff from across the world, and the first thing they see is nothingness. Just a big fat bus station and two large corporations.

“If you look back to what Cardiff had before they built these new buildings, it had more history. But now you leave the station and walk onto a very boring, plain, corporate cage.”

The square receives a lot of footfall, especially during commuting hours, sporting events, and festivals in Cardiff, as it functions as a gateway to the city.

However, the square’s convenience appears to be undeniable – it’s surrounded by supermarkets, cafés, the BBC headquarters, and a bus station.

David Williams from Cheltenham told Wales Online: “There are lots of amenities and lots of shops and it’s kept reasonably clean.

“The rest of Cardiff could do with a bit of a tidy up in places but the square in itself is quite tidy and quite clean and you’ve got lots of shops when you get off the train.  There’s lots of convenience shops should you want a snack”

Although when asked if the space lacked personality, he added: “It is a bit plain. There’s a lot of concrete.

“But the problem is if you get away with the concrete you end up with graffiti and I don’t think that would enhance the square at all.”

The objectives for the competition are to design and enhance the public realm as a welcoming and inclusive space, integrated with existing infrastructure, like Cardiff Central Station, BBC Cymru Wales HQ, and Capital Quarter.

It further seeks to improve pedestrian and cyclist connectivity, celebrate Cardiff’s heritage, culture, and future ambitions, and promote sustainability, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

Designs must take into account the need to maintain flexibility within the space, allowing for crowd control operations that take place during large-scale events held at the neighbouring Principality Stadium.

A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “Many visitors and residents to Cardiff have reflected positively on the city’s ability to host major events in the heart of the capital. Central Square plays an important role in allowing Cardiff to do that, providing a balance between civic space and public infrastructure to allow the effective and efficient use of Central Station when major events are being staged.

“The Council is exploring whether there are solutions that allow features to be brought in and then taken away for large events, while also having the desired impact. However, when evaluating options, it is important to factor in the area needing to accommodate large crowds, as well as needing to provide evacuation assembly points for the hundreds of people in the surrounding buildings.”

Judging will commence for the competition on Friday 10th October.

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Featured image via Google Maps