Grange Pavilion shortlisted in Cardiff Property Awards
8 February 2021
The Grange Pavilion capital build partnership of Community Gateway, Grange Pavilion CIO, IBI Group, Dan Benham Architects and Cardiff Planning is delighted to announce that Grange Pavilion has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2021 Cardiff Property Awards: Transformation and Civic Development.
Supporting creative and committed stakeholder engagement over a three-year period, IBI Group’s design concept was based on inclusion, ideas ownership by residents, social cohesion and community wellbeing.
Accommodation of the Pavilion building consists of three large spaces easily booked by community residents and groups that enable good quality interactions including homework clubs, art therapy and indoor sports activities, a coffee shop employing Grangetown residents, an office and accessible toilets. An external classroom has also been designed, creating an outdoor learning and collaboration space linked to local schools and after-school community gardening activities.
Building materials match the existing brickwork of the surrounding terraced houses and represent the English masonry garden wall that wraps the north and east façade, acting as a suitable boundary that creates an interaction with the existing Victorian park. Lime mortar in the brickwork matches the existing stonework on surrounding houses, and black timber cladding matches the timber boards. A folding roof echoes the terraced houses of the surrounding areas, and a zinc roof reflects the roofing of the adjacent bandstand and, in a modern way, the slate roof from the surrounding houses. Bee, bird and bat bricks have been specified to create a hive for insects and animal activity, and to provide a nesting place.
Re-development of the green spaces includes areas for multiple community activities. These have been designed, constructed and installed according to community initiatives.
Surrounding wildlife areas contain a special plant species mix informed by Cardiff University’s Pharmabees project, led by professor Les Baillie, designed to help create a Welsh Manuka Honey.
Integrated into the landscape design is a sustainable drainage system to support improved managing of water circulation. Rain gardens and swales system have also been designed to store and slowly release surface water.
The Cardiff property Awards will be held as part of a symposium on Friday 26 March from 2-5pm.