A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Until the new Welsh Assembly building opened, the WMC was the only building in Cardiff Bay to incorporate slate in its design. (Words/photos: Mike Slocombe, Sept 2006)
And what is the bilingual poem? Each letter stands over 2m tall and is a window for those inside the WMC overlooking Cardiff Bay. She also felt that the stones would literally be singing once the building opened. Davidson Hotels & Resorts has expanded its portfolio with the addition of Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, a 550-room full-service resort in Monterey, California, US. Stent (deep piled foundations); Swansea Institute (architectural glass); GH James Cyf (stone mason); Rimex (textured stainless steel); Alfred McAlpine (slate); Coed Cymru (wood); Ann Catrin Evans (designed bronze door handles and door 'push plates'); Amber Hiscott (etchings on glass walls); Gwyneth Lewis (inscriptions). Plas Farm, Cilybebyll Swansea The foyer contains a reception counter, which is approximately 30m in length. The upright sections mirror the dark pillars found throughout the Centre which resemble fossilised tree ferns. It is a large open space, very contemporary in form. We are proudly bilingual in everything that we do. Continue along Stuart Street and turn right at the first set of lights.
This page was last modified on 12 May 2022, at 04:21. In total, 2,500t of slate was laid by the company at the WMC; although mortar had to be used, it was black in colour to disguise it, in order for the final walls to resemble the look of stone laid dry. "I wanted to create something unmistakeably Welsh and internationally recognisable and outstanding.".
What used to be Tiger Bay and one of the worlds largest coal ports is now transformed into a modern shop and restaurant-fronted bayside development, complete with its own Opera House. The construction began in February 2002 and the building was officially inaugurated with opening ceremonies on 26-28 November 2004. Carr and Angier was the theatre consultant and Arup Acoustics was the acoustician. The auditorium is also acoustically protected on all sides, preventing the transmission of noise from within the venue, as well as disturbance from air and ground-borne noise. Part of the architects brief at the outset of the project was to design a building that expresses Welshness with a profile as instantly recognisable as that of its Australian counterpart, the Sydney Opera House. They draw both on Waless industrial past and the institutions location in Cardiff Bay, once the greatest coal port in the world.. The Wales Millennium Centre on its opening night in November 2004. Copyright 29/07/2022 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Please accept to continue or find out more about our use of cookies. The architect had this to say: Entering the building, the visitor steps out of the real world. The classical tradition of carved inscriptions over entrances of important civic buildings continues in a contemporary manner with the poem. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. The Wales Millennium Centre is in front of you. Receive the latest news, practical advice, videos and competitions in a monthly email put together by the magazines editorial team. Everywhere you look, you'll find examples of fine Welsh craftsmanship and artistic expression and it's well worth booking onto our behind-the-scenes tour to discover more about this building. The walls were built by stone and walling specialists, GH James Cyf, whose usual work consists of building and repairing the dry stone slate walls bordering the roads in North Wales. Sir Robert McAlpine was appointed as the main contractor, with Arup as the structural and service engineers. The large Celtic lettering not only represents the ancient tradition of stone carving but also the artistic excellence, values and integrity found inside the building, reflected to the world by the glass used within each letter. Review: Afternoon tea at 100 Queens Gate Hotel. Bute Place, Cardiff, CF10 5AL. The WMC also incorporates residential accommodation for 150 members of the Urdd Gobaith Cymru, one of Europes leading youth organisations, as well as being the new home for six leading Welsh cultural organisations Welsh National Opera, Diversions Dance Company of Wales, Touch Trust, Academi, T-Cerdd Music Centre and Hijinx Theatre Company. The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) is a 37,000m world-class opera house and performing arts centre in Cardiff, UK. Twilight scene looking towards the bay, with the Millennium Centre to the left. The striking bilingual inscription on the front of the building: In These Stones, Horizons Singwas composed by the former National Poet of Wales, Gwyneth Lewis. The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) is a 37,000m world-class opera house and performing arts centre in Cardiff, UK. Awen suggests poetic inspiration and the general creative vision from which aspirations are formed. Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
We create our own productions, festivals and events with a strong voice at its heart. Captions are provided by our contributors. Stepping inside the building, the connection between the natural and industrial landscape continues with a sustainable, eco-friendly message throughout. Entrance of the iconic Wales Millennium Centre with bilingual inscription reading Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr O Ffwrnais Arwen, In These Stones Horizons Sing, Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales. US-based Summit Hotel Properties has entered into definitive agreements to acquire four hotels totaling 652 guestrooms for an aggregate purchase price of $164m. Arup Acoustics, tasked with creating acoustic excellence for the WMC, adopted a flexible solution that catered for a range of performing genres.
Building close up showing the slate and metal construction.
"Were lucky to have two languages; one that we share with half the world and one which belongs just to us. If you go down to the Bay today you might see a giant golden armadillo! Cardiff's new centre for the performing arts
Our board of trustees and senior management team steer our strategic vision. "The monumental inscription is a familiar feature of Roman architecture. (i) By car. August 2004 - nearly finished! Guided tours are available, and free performances take place regularly, usually on a daily basis check the Wales Millenium Centrewebsite for more details of whats on. Cerdd music information centre for amateur and professional musicians, including the Welsh Music Information Centre, Welsh Amateur Music Federation, National Youth Arts Wales and Cyfansoddwyr Cymru (Composers of Wales), Urdd Gobaith Cymru (The Welsh League of Youth) the Welsh language youth movement, Welsh National Opera an international touring opera company, BBC National Orchestra of Wales The only professional national symphony orchestra for Wales, Arts Council of Wales The body responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales. She continued: The windows out of which the words are made suggest an ideal of poetry: clear enough to let light in and out, offering enough a distinctively local view of the world; it should speak a truth which is transparent, beautifully crafted but also fragile and, therefore, doubly precious.. September 2006 views
There's nowhere in London that comes close to this facility.". Inspiration for the building came from the environment, as well as the cultural and social traditions of Wales. In these stones horizons sing is the English part. Another internal view. 33,000ft², 4,000ft² outside main building, November 2004 (phase one), January 2009 (phase two), National Assembly of Wales, National Lottery Millennium Fund, Arts Council of Wales, Principality Building Society, Donald Gordon (private investor), Capita Architecture (architect); Sir Robert McAlpine (main contractor); Arup (structural and service engineer); Carr and Angier (theatre consultant); Arup Acoustics (acoustician); Bucknall and Austin. Pontardawe, The architect decided against using copper and aluminium because they would both change colour with weathering. Join the A4232 and continue for about 9.3 miles. Mori Trust, Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) and Hilton have entered into an agreement to build a new mixed-use development on Sesokojima Island, Okinawa, Japan. An important industry within Wales for centuries, Welsh slate has changed the landscape of North Wales forever, and is important to Welsh heritage. Email Us. A further 10.4m was donated by the Arts Council of Wales (a lottery-funded organisation) and a private investor, London-based South African businessman Donald Gordon, boosted the funds by donating 20m to be shared equally between the Royal Opera House in London and the WMC. Audiences and communities are at the heart of everything we do. This 15cm-thick glass was cut and installed by the Architectural Glass Department at Swansea Institute. Hyatt Hotels brand Park Hyatt has opened first beach resort in the Caribbean called Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour. Marriott Digital Services (MDS), a business unit of Marriott International, has partnered with hotel technology provider Avvio to deliver online excellence for its partner hotel clients. Get an instant quote for one of our industry-leading volume pricing deals. Company number 3221924. production and rehearsal rooms. The main theatre, named after a South African businessman benefactor has a capacity of 1,900 and its deceptively huge stage could fit not only the stage of Cardiffs smaller New Theatre, but also its auditorium! The latest news, views and stories. Each letter will be filled with clear glass, to allow those within to see out, and to allow light from the theatre to flood into the forecourt." Charity number 1060458. Tel: +1-+44 (0) 1792 864611 Access for audiences to levels 1-5 can be found from the foyer. Ms Lewis thought of the stones inside the theatre singing with music wanted to convey the sense of an international space created by the art of music. The majority of space within the WMC is back-of-house with access denied to the general public, e.g. Phase one of WMC involved the construction of a 1,900-seat Donald Gordon theatre, 250-seat Western Studio theatre, six function rooms, a hostel, performance and teaching space, restaurants and coffee shops. "The inscription is formed by cutting directly through the shell to the theatre. The west and south main entrances lead in to the concourse (ground floor level 0) and ticket counter, which provides access to the foyers and bars, the auditorium and function rooms, the gallery, the Ty Cerdd and Touch Trust spaces as well as the retail units and restaurants that surround it. We are home to eight cultural organisations including Welsh National Opera and BBC NOW. The National Lottery Millennium Fund contributed 31.7m to the project., Until the Welsh Assembly building opened, the WMC was the only building in Cardiff Bay with slate in its design., Arup Acoustics adopted a flexible solution that catered for a range of performing genres., The leading site for news and procurement in the design-build industry, Receive our newsletter - data, insights and analysis delivered to you. We're here to create joyful, life-enhancing experiences for young people in Wales to tell their stories and to be creative. How we're nurturing talent and amplifying diverse voices by supporting artists and creatives. Getting to the Wales Millenium Centre (or Center) from Swansea Valley Holiday Cottage Accommodation. Our lights were designed to look like Welsh miner's lamps. Take a look atour spacesinside the building. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. The curtain finally went up on the Millennium Centre Cardiff in 2004 with a gala opening. Construction of the building began in February 2002, which consists of a 1,900-seat lyric theatre, a studio theatre seating 250 people, a dance studio, a main concourse suitable for live performances, rehearsal halls, recording studios as well as bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. The champagne-coloured textured stainless steel dome roof. Our cottages are an easy 45 minute drive from the Wales Millenium Centre along the M4 motorway. In some places, the bands of slate are separated by glass, letting daylight into the building. The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every month. For the exterior of the building, 4,500 tonnes of structural steel was clad in 2,000 tonnes of recycled Welsh slate, reclaimed from waste spoils.
The letters say: "In These Stones Horizons Sing - Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr O Ffwrnais Awen." A major venue for the performing arts, the centre houses the 1,900-seat Donald Gordon Theatre, the Weston Studio, rehearsals studios and several spaces to eat, drink, relax and watch free entertainment. Wales Millennium Centre Under construction, Feb, 2004. Opened in November 2004 - just 33 months after construction had begun - the Millennium Centre is an imposing structure faced with metal, glass and Welsh slate. We believe in the transformative power of the arts to bring about positive change. Free performances take place on a small stage to the left. On the front of the WMC, cut directly into the steel faade in large Celtic lettering, is the inscription CREU GWIR GWYDR O FFWRNAIS AWEN, which translated into English means Truth is as clear as glass forged in the flames of inspiration. The inspiration for this came from the forging of the metal roof and the glass from which each letter is made. Words in songs, stories and poems have helped to make Wales the proud country that it is." Find out how we're reducing our environmental impact and becoming more sustainable.
Theres also a nod to the maritime history of Tiger Bay, reflected by the hull-shaped copper-coloured roof that gave rise to the building being known locally as the armadillo. The architect, Jonathan Adam, explains:
Phase two included a 350-seat BBC Hoddinott Hall, the interior of which resembles a Welsh chapel while its exterior continues the theme of phase one. Every issue is packed with our inspirational photography, fascinating features, shopping and travel advice. A concert hall was supposed to be included as part of the second phrase, however this was scrapped.
296,912,116 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. The WMC is one of the first new generation theatres that has its long longitudinal walls articulated with audience boxes, providing a sense of proximity between performers and the audience. Take a look at some of our organisational highlights over the past 12 months. The Wales Millennium Centre, with its copper-tiled roof reflecting the sun is the centrepiece and architectural landmark of the new Cardiff Bay development. The WMC cost 106.2m. Finally, the inscription on the outside of the building was written by Gwyneth Lewis, a popular Welsh poet. Phone, Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. The Centre houses additional theatres and is home to the Welsh National Opera, Hijinx Theatre and Diversions Dance company, among others. If you enjoy finding out more about our countrys rich history, then youll love BRITAIN magazine the official magazine for VisitBritain. The booking hall. SA8 3JQ Leave the M4 at junction 33 (Signed Cardiff (West), Barry, Penarth, Cardiff Airport & A4232).
View inside. With probably the worlds largest poem etched into its face, and the slate walls man-made versions of the Glamorganshire Heritage coast, the building is representative of its home country inspired by Wales and built by Welsh materials at a cost of 106m. I consent to GlobalData UK Limited collecting my details provided via this form in accordance with the, Introducing the Excellence Awards & Rankings 2022, Rocket & Tigerli Mixed-Use Development, Winterthur, Switzerland, Sydney Modern Project, New South Wales, Australia, Construction Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Deals by Top Themes in Q2 2022 Thematic Research, Construction Market Size, Trends and Growth Forecast by Key Regions and Countries, 2022-2026, Cybersecurity in Construction Thematic Research. Thank you for subscribing to Design Build Network. Use in a presentation/talk (eg,Powerpoint and Keynote) or in an editorial newsletter. Not just a translation, the Welsh part says: Creu Gwir fel Gwydr o Ffwrnais Awen which means: Creating truth like glass from inspirations furnace., Ms Lewis said: I wrote the words to reflect the cultural ambition of the Centre. This was achieved through moveable surfaces that can be sound reflecting, sound absorbing or acoustically transparent, to enable the desired orchestral balance and playing conditions. The building exterior is dominated by walls built of waste slate, collected from the many quarries throughout Wales, laid in coloured strata depicting the different stone layers seen in sea cliffs; naturally-occurring purple slate came from a quarry in Penryn, the blue from Cwt-y-Bugail, green from Nantlle, grey from Llechwedd, and the black slate from the Corris Quarry in mid-west Wales. The main entrance to the WMC is directly beneath the inscription. A major sponsorship agreement between the WMC and the Principality Building Society (the most significant single arts donation the Society had ever undertaken) provided the remaining funds for the project. There is even a 150-bed dormitory tucked away, run by Urdd Gobaith, the childrens Eisteddfod. There are nine function rooms located on levels 2 and 3, for corporate hospitality, seminars and meetings. These floors are connected by wide, suspended flights of stairs that join with oriel balconies faced with bands of variegated hardwood lining the outer walls, which were provided by Coed Cymru, an organisation that promotes sustainable husbandry of native hardwoods. Leave the A4232 just before the Butetown Tunnel and follow the signs for Techniquest. The project cost manager was Bucknall and Austin. Our Creative Associates, are a group of artists and creatives who help inform our vision and lead the conversation. back to Wales photo homepage Senedd/ Welsh Assembly building . Some slates were used with natural pillared faces and some with sawn faces, to give contrasting textures. Inside the theatre are the usual cafes, bars and shops with a hands-on interactive gallery and on the upper levels a visual art exhibition. Night view of WMC showing lighting of inscription. This was the preferred option as the harsh weather conditions experienced along the South Wales coast (the WMC is located only metres from the sea) had to be taken into account. The design reflects both the natural and industrial landscape of Wales, taking inspiration from the sea-cliffs and steel industry of South Wales and the jagged slate mines found in the north. Further contractors / suppliers include: Stent (deep piled foundations), Swansea Institute (architectural glass), GH James Cyf (stone mason), Rimex (textured stainless steel), Alfred McAlpine (slate), Coed Cymru (wood), Ann Catrin Evans (designed bronze door handles and door push plates), Amber Hiscott (etchings on glass walls). Co-funded by Welsh Government, National Lottery, Millennium Commission and the Arts Council of Wales the building cost 106m to create using material that would withstand the test of time as well as the Welsh weather, The Centre's famous inscription by poet, Gwyneth Lewis, Slate cladding on the exterior represents local rock strata found along the local sea cliffs of South Wales, The copper-coloured roof known locally as the 'armadillo' is actually made from treated stainless steel, The interior of the building contains five different types of sustainable hardwoods, all sourced from Welsh woodlands, Our door handles are designed to look like open arms, bidding people a warm Welsh welcome/ croeso as they arrive, The stainless steel panels used on the roof also feature inside the building but are untreated and feature screws resembling the rivets found on a ship's hull. [December 2004]
Under construction, Feb, 2004.
Phase one of the project was completed in November 2008 while phase two was completed in January 2009. Night view. Get in touch for any commercial.
"No West End theatre boasts what we have here.
The National Lottery Millennium Fund contributed 31.7m to the project and another 37m came from the National Assembly of Wales. Find the right content for your market. Choosing not to follow the glass curtain style found in contemporary British architecture, the WMC was modelled on the great solid, stratified land forms seen throughout Wales. Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. The auditorium can be accessed at five main levels. What we're doing to ensure that our culture and attitudes are actively anti-racist. The inscription over the entrance of the Wales Millennium Centre is a revival of this classical tradition, and also a recognition of the formative influence of Roman culture upon our nation." Phase one of the WMC was designed by architect Jonathan Adams of Capita Architecture (formerly called CapitaPercy Thomas). Our youth council provides space and an opportunity for young people to have their voices heard. After years in the planning, it took just two-and-a-half years to complete and was opened by the Queen in 2004 using an ornate steel key that travelled across five continents on a journey of goodwill before unlocking the front door. Hardwoods from sustainable Welsh woodlands were used throughout the interior while the tall, black pillars with fern-like fossil patterns represent the enchanting edges of a forest where magic meets reality. Wales Millennium Centre was created as a stage for Wales, to reflect the spirit of a nation, and become a home for the performing arts. Our current job offers, employee benefits, apprenticeships and more. It was written by Wales National Poet, Gwyneth Lewis, and with each six-foot tall letter made of stained glass and set in glass-reinforced gypsum she said: I find it quite shocking to see them so large., Each of the letters of the inscription is a window of its own, opening up the theatre foyers for people looking in, and looking out. Wales Millennium Centre views
Discover how were keeping our creative spark alive.. She wanted the words to reflect the architecture, the copper dome reminding her of the furnaces of Waless industrial past and Ceridwens cauldron, from which the early poet Taliesin received his inspiration. Above the main entrance is a monumental inscription by Welsh writer Gwyneth Lewis, written in both Welsh and English. The postcode for you satnav is CF10 5AL. welshholidaycottages.com The steel industry was once a major employer in Wales, which is why it was decided to use champagne-coloured textured stainless steel for the shell dome of the lyric theatre. Architects Tim Green and Keith Vince of Capita Architecture designed phase two. We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Above the layered slate walls of the WMC is the main auditorium roof. There is also an English inscription: IN THESE STONES HORIZONS SING. The strata of the slate walls reminded Gwyneth Lewis, the author of the inscriptions, of the horizons seen just beyond Penarth Head in South Wales. Wales
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