Central Cardiff Square St David’s shopping centre, South Wales plaza, Welsh landscape design
30 August 2024
Design: LDA Design and Chapman Taylor Architects
Location: St David’s Dewi Sant – shopping centre in Cardiff city centre, South Wales, UK
Play time in Cardiff city centre
Image : VirtualPlanit
Central Cardiff Square – new plaza at St David’s
Proposals developed by LDA Design and Chapman Taylor Architects for a new urban square in the heart of Cardiff city centre have been submitted by Landsec for planning approval.
This is a rare opportunity to put playfulness at the heart of city centre public realm, and the proposals include water jets and a play park with a giant slide. It reaffirms Cardiff’s status as the UK’s first UNICEF child-friendly city and supports the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.
The new square is situated on the site of the city’s former Debenhams department store, which closed in 2021. It is designed to give visitors, shoppers and city centre residents a fresh reason to head to St David’s, which is one of the largest shopping destinations in the UK and has already played a key role in regenerating Cardiff.
LDA Design director, Robert Aspland, said the proposal will create a significant, attractive, family-orientated space about the size of a football pitch. “This urban space is designed to be fun, child-focussed and distinctively Cardiff, with a wide range of adventurous play opportunities, as well as biodiverse planting and generous amounts of seating.
Image : VirtualPlanit
“I’m not sure there’s another place like it across the UK as it reclaims prime retail space for children and young people. It points to a potential way forward for many underused retail spaces.”
A ‘breadcrumb’ design approach in the surrounding streets will help lead people to the new square, which will also be directly accessible from the shopping centre.
The plaza includes space for community events and street food, café and restaurant terraces, plus an upper-level dining area overlooking the square.
The public response to the plans floated earlier in the year has been positive with people keen to see a safe, welcoming family space in the city. Engagement reached more than 5,000 community groups and individuals.
Central Cardiff Square, St David’s shopping centre in South Wales images / information received from LDA Design
Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.
Welsh Architecture
Contemporary Architecture in South Wales – architectural selection below:
Welsh Architecture Designs – chronological list
Metro Central Cardiff Bus Interchange
Design: BDP
photo : Nick Caville / BDP
Metro Central Cardiff Bus Interchange
Cardiff University Innovation Campus
Design: HawkinsBrown ; HOK ; BDP ; DPP
image from architects
Cardiff University Innovation Campus Building
Cardiff Architecture News – a selection from e-architect below:
Velindre Cancer Centre
Architecture: White Arkitekter
image courtesy of architecture practice
Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff
Grange Pavilion
Design: Benham Architects and IBI Group
photograph : James Alexander Foxhall
Grange Pavilion Cardiff
Techniquest
Architecture: HLM Architects
image courtesy of architecture office
Cardiff Techniquest Building
Mixed-Use Development for Cardiff Bay
image from architects
Cardiff Waterside
Welsh Building Designs
Contemporary Welsh Buildings – recent architectural selection on e-architect below:
National Assembly for Wales design by architect Richard Rogers
Maggies Wales Building design by Kisho Kurokawa
Comments / photos for the Central Cardiff Square, St David’s shopping centre, Wales designed by BDP Architects page welcome.
