Andrew Scott Ltd has been awarded the renovation and enhancement of the Ship Street Library in Brecon for client NPTC Group of Colleges.
It follows the successful regeneration and repurposing of the Grade II listed Watton Mount and Coach House in the town.
Located at the upper end of Ship Street in the centre of Brecon, the Ship Street Library sits within a recognised conservation area. A Grade II listed building, it was part of a new generation of post-war libraries designed to provide light and airy spaces for the public, often incorporating contemporary works of art.
Designed by the County Architects Department under the direction of County Architect JA McRobbie, the library was officially opened by The Prince of Wales in 1969 and is a significant piece of post-war architecture that is of national importance.
The sympathetic renovation and enhancement represents the next chapter in the evolution of the college and the library, said Andrew Scott. By relocating a significant portion of its Brecon Campus to a more central location in Brecon town centre, the college aims to enhance student access and upgrade its facilities.
It is hoped that the renovation will help to improve connections with the community and drive more footfall into Brecon. The buildings’ new layouts are intentionally designed without canteen facilities to encourage students to use the town centre’s amenities and support local businesses.
Designed by Rio Architects, the building’s enhancement includes flexible staff offices, WCs, meeting rooms and classrooms with moveable walls in some areas to allow flexibility for exam configuration, promoting modern methods of teaching and collaborative and social learning.
A series of interventions will give the Old Library a new lease of life and re-connect spaces, making every area accessible and providing clear circulation routes. It will provide four start-up business office spaces. Also included will be ten general teaching classrooms, student support services rooms, staff rooms and offices, social learning spaces, new WCs, welfare facilities, and improved access with a replacement lift.
Once complete, the building will continue its former importance in the community, housing a new and flexible learning space for students at the college and inspiring the next generation of learners.
Mark Bowen, Managing Director at Andrew Scott Ltd, said:
“We are delighted to have commenced works on the renovation and enhancement of the Grade II listed Ship Street Library. This project represents an exciting opportunity to preserve a well-loved historic building, while creating an inspiring and accessible learning space for students and the wider community. We hope the revitalised library will strengthen local connections and support nearby businesses, as well as stimulate interest and creativity in the next generation of learners.”
Mark Dacey, CEO of NPTC Group of Colleges, said:
“We are delighted that Andrew Scott Ltd has been awarded the renovation and enhancement project of the Ship Street Library in Brecon. We are confident that the work will be of the same high standard of their most recent project which they completed for us at the Grade II listed Watton Mount and Coach House in Brecon. We have had many positive comments from the community who have recognised the care that has gone into breathing new life into what was once a tired and underused space. This all forms part of a wider plan to relocate college provision into the town centre, making education more visible and accessible to the community whilst also increasing footfall.”
