Inspire were appointed to undertake the Concept Design and planning submission for an economically viable student accommodation scheme alongside the River Tawe in Swansea, Wales to accommodate 500 student bedrooms. A proposal was developed which eventually accommodated 506 students comprising of 59 5-6 bed cluster flats with shared lounge/kitchens and 150 studio apartments. In addition a communal lounge, parking spaces, 180 cycle parking spaces and a café are accommodated at ground level for use by the students. A limited palette of materials was chosen to enhance the local vernacular, with the primary material being a buff coloured brickwork, with recessed panels to emphasise the modular nature of the accommodation, and hint at the former industrial history of the locality. Indented panels of brickwork, utilising horizontal stack bond, and windows grouped in two storeys, altering the visual impact of the building, and taking its proportion from the industrial warehouses historically prominent in the area. Planning permission was granted at appeal and when complete the building will expect to achieve BREEAM excellent.
Client – NMJ
Location – Swansea
Year – 2018 (Planning Approved)
Size – 16,360 sqm