Located on the site of a former bus station just opposite Cardiff Central Station in Wales, the new 25,600-sm BBC Cymru Wales Headquarters combines studio, administration, and support spaces in a single, flexible building.
The Foster + Partners-designed building emphasizes transparency and openness. Upon entering the ground floor, visitors and employees can look up through a full-height atrium into the working spaces above and into a new cafe facing the square. A 4,000-sm hub is the heart of the HQ building and extends across three linked levels and incorporates studios, offices, and production facilities. A sheltered garden sits atop the hub and is connected to a restaurant. This space provides a unique venue for filming and is a social amenity for the approximately 1,200 staff.
There are about 750 desks throughout the building because it is not expected that all 1,200 staff members will occupy the building concurrently.
ISG built the project and Overbury and Sheppard Robson handled the internal fit out of the building.
See Also: 18 Carbon fiber wings grace Foster + Partners-designed Apple Dubai Mall terrace
Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners.
Photo courtesy of Foster + Partners.
Photo courtesy Foster + Partners.
Photo courtesy Foster + Partners.
Related Stories
| Feb 6, 2014
End of the open workplace?
If you’ve been following news about workplace design in the popular media, you might believe that the open workplace has run its course. While there’s no shortage of bad open-plan workplaces, there are two big flaws with the now common claim that openness is bad.
| Feb 5, 2014
Extreme conversion: Atlanta turns high-rise office building into high school
Formerly occupied by IBM, the 11-story Lakeside building is the new home for North Atlanta High School.
| Feb 5, 2014
7 towers that define the 'skinny skyscraper' boom [slideshow]
Recent advancements in structural design, combined with the loosening of density and zoning requirements, has opened the door for the so-called "superslim skyscraper."
| Jan 30, 2014
See how architects at NBBJ are using computational design to calculate the best views on projects [video]
In an ideal world, every office employee would have a beautiful view from his or her desk. While no one can make that happen in real life, computational design can help architects maximize views from every angle.
| Jan 30, 2014
The evolving workplace: One designer's inspiration board
"Open office" has been a major buzzword for decades, and like any buzzword, some of the novelty has worn off. I don't believe we will abandon the open office, but I do think we need to focus on providing a dynamic mix of open and closed spaces.
| Jan 29, 2014
Richard Meier unveils 'urban courtyard' scheme for Mexico City towers
A grand atrium, reaching some 30 stories, highlights the contemporary, bright-white design scheme unveiled this week by Richard Meier & Partners for a new mixed-use development in Mexico City.
| Jan 28, 2014
2014 predictions for skyscraper construction: More twisting towers, mega-tall projects, and 'superslim' designs
Experts from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat release their 2014 construction forecast for the worldwide high-rise industry.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 28, 2014
Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]
The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.
| Jan 23, 2014
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill-designed Federation of Korean Industries tower opens in Seoul [slideshow]
The 50-story tower features a unique, angled building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) exterior designed to maximize the amount of energy collected.
