Archinect - News

Scott Brownrigg's Rhondda Tunnel will transform a disused railway portal into the world's longest digital art space

2022-07-15T11:30:00-04:00

An imposing new cultural project will transform what was once a railway link in the Welsh countryside into what London-based studio Scott Browrigg says will be the world’s longest digital art space once it is completed in a few years.

By remaking the last vestiges of a 130-year-old abandoned rail tunnel formerly pegged to become a walking path and bike trail, the new arts-centered scheme will deliver an in-demand tourist destination that connects the two communities of Blaencwm and Blaengwynfi located at either end.

Image courtesy Scott Brownrigg

One might say this is a real windfall for the critically-important (especially in terms of an exhibition settings) area of wayfinding. The design made the cut for the recently-announced 2022 WAF shortlist in the Future Project: Culture category and will strive for a BREEAM Excellent rating, according to the firm.

To the east, the tunnel’s entrance will be defined by either a land art referencing hotel, while in its west, on the Blaengwynfi s...

A petition to scrap design for Iron Ring sculpture causes the Welsh government to pause the proposed plan

2017-07-26T18:33:00-04:00

Last week, we covered the newly released designs for a landmark sculpture that would be built at Flint Castle in Wales. The sculpture, designed by George King Architects, was to be a cantilevered bridge structure made of weathering steel and engraved with words chosen from the local community. At first, the design seemed as innocuous as any—turns out, not so much.

The news of the selected design has sparked a lot of controversy and a petition calling for the sculpture to be scrapped has received over 9,000 signatures. The design and name of the sculpture reference the series of castles, built by Edward I, that allowed him to conquer the then, independent Wales. Many are upset, rightfully so, that what should be a celebration of Wales and Welsh culture, has turned into a celebration of its conquest and subsequent oppression by England. In response, the county of Flint has urged the Welsh Government, who ran the contest, to talk with the town before any further action is taken in rega...

Miller Kendrick Architects complete Welsh pop-up hotel

2017-05-19T08:00:00-04:00

Miller Kendrick Architects, a small practice founded by Michael Kendrick and Paul Miller in 2015, have completed their build of a ‘pop-up-hotel’; a cabin that was one of eight winning designs of ‘Epic Retreats’. Named ‘Arthur’s Cave’, this small structure will be featured on Channel 4 as part of the ‘Cabins in the Wild with Dick Strawbridge’ series, the first episode of which airs on Sunday 21st May.

The modern design was inspired by its surrounding ancient Welsh landscapes, which tumble and stretch for miles around the faceted larch-clad structure. With a fantastic outlook across the Snowdonian National Park, and shelter formed by the rocky foothill of Castle Y Bere, MKA’s geometric cabin nestles in a unique and captivating location.

Staying true to MKA’s passion for testing new forms of low-cost, efficient, and sustainable methods of construction, Arthur’s Cave uses locally sourced materials and a clever construction method of jigsaw-joined birch plywood ribs, which acts as structur...

Stonehenge may have originated in Wales, new study suggests

2015-12-08T13:52:00-05:00

archaeologists have found several recesses in rock formations in Wales that match the size and shape of Stonehenge's bluestones, leading to theories that the monument may have been erected in Wales first, before being moved to its present site in Salisbury Plain. The researchers also discovered evidence of what they described as “a loading bay" from where the massive boulders could have been dragged away.

Wales is over 130 miles / 209 kilometers from Stonehenge's current site in Salisbury Plain – a distance that would have taken Neolithic people over 500 years to transport the monoliths over, according to Professor Mike Parker Pearson, a British late prehistory professor at UCL who led the study.

Researchers involved in the project find it unlikely that, after the bluestones had been removed the quarry, the harvesters would have immediately set a course for Salisbury Plain. What is perhaps more likely is that the stones were used for a monument in Wales first, and were then transported to their current site through a massive coordination effort with people living in both areas.

“One of the latest theories is that Stonehenge is a monument of unification, bringing together people from across many parts of Britain," Pearson told The Guardian.

New restrictions on public space in England and Wales could make "unusual or unpopular" behavior criminal

2015-09-08T18:02:00-04:00

Public Space Protection Orders, or PSPOs, came into existence last year under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Similar to the much-derided anti-social behaviour orders (asbos), PSPOs allow for broad powers to criminalise behaviour that is not normally criminal. But where asbos were directed at individuals, PSPOs are geographically defined, making predefined activities within a mapped area prosecutable.

For a primer to this piece, check out:

Taking a stand against privately-owned public spaces

And for more on contested public spaces:

New housing and school developments stand out in RIBA 2015 National Award

2015-06-18T17:33:00-04:00

A few weeks after the Royal Institute of British Architects announced the winners of the 2015 regional London Award, the competition continues with the announcement of the National Award winners. Thirty-seven projects from throughout the UK including England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland made the cut.

'The RIBA National Awards provide a unique insight into UK construction, investment and design trends,' RIBA President Stephen Hodder said. New housing developments and educational facilities were at the forefront in this year's batch of National awardees, much to RIBA's delight, especially at a time when high-quality housing and school buildings are sorely lacking in the UK. The winners will be celebrated during a special event at the Serpentine Pavilion in London on July 8.

Here's a few of the winning projects:

↓ Abode, Great Kneighton, Cambridge by Proctor and Matthews Architects

↓ Darbishire Place, E1 by Niall McLaughlin Architects

↓ Alfriston School, Beaconsfield by Duggan Mor...

The 2014 winners of the Manser Medal and Stephen Lawrence Prize

2014-10-17T18:43:00-04:00

Following RIBA's announcement of the 2014 Stirling Prize winner, two more UK-based projects won big in the 2014 Manser Medal and the Stephen Lawrence Prize competitions. The Stormy Castle in Wales by Loyn & Co. Architects received the Manser Medal, which is the UK's highest housing design award. The Stephen Lawrence Prize, which recognizes fresh architectural talent and smaller construction budgets, went to a residential project this year: House No 7 in Scotland by Denizen Works.

Here's a glimpse of the winning projects:

2014 Manser Medal winner: Stormy Castle in Wales by Loyn & Co. Architects

2014 RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize winner: House No 7 in Scotland by Denizen Works:

Find more photos and project details on Bustler.