Eye-catching designs have been unveiled for a café-restaurant that will stand at the heart of new parkland next to Swansea’s emerging indoor arena.
They show that the pavilion-style attraction will stand close to the arena’s striking curved skin that will be illuminated by more than 70,000 programmable LED light bulbs.
The building, with an engineered timber frame and strong green credentials, will have an area of outdoor seating under canopies so guests can fully enjoy the experience of being in the 1.1-acre coastal park. There will be indoor seating too.
Its position and height – around 6m above Oystermouth Road on top of a two-deck car park – will allow of Swansea Bay and the sea in the distance – and the Swansea cityscape.
Plans for the oval and wedge-shaped building include a 94 sq m café-restaurant, a kitchen plus internal and external toilets and internal and external accessible toilets.
The designs feature wood, local stone, stainless steel, aluminium and a solar roof. Natural lighting and ventilation will be used wherever possible. Lighting will be low-energy and light pollution will be minimised. Building materials will be as sustainable as possible.
Council leader Rob Stewart said:
“The pavilion is another striking addition to the city’s dramatic £1bn regeneration story. It’s designed to be welcoming and will be publicly accessible to all.
“It will add a dramatic focal point to this area, the first major new parkland in Swansea since Victorian times.
“The pavilion will complement the arena’s architecture and will benefit from its own renewable energy generation and green interior climate management to minimize its environmental footprint.”
The plans have been submitted to Swansea planners by arena main contractor Buckingham Group Contracting on behalf of the council.
They form part of the £135m Swansea Central Phase One scheme, a catalyst for wider development on the city’s ongoing £1bn regeneration journey.
As well as the parkland, parking for around 1,000 cars and arena, phase one includes a landmark bridge now being constructed on site, homes and commercial units. Funding sources include the council, Swansea Bay City Deal and the Welsh Government.
