BBC Cymru Wales' HQ in Cardiff is located directly opposite Cardiff Central Railway Station
When built, this was one of the most ambitious projects to have ever been constructed in Wales - needless to say, we were thrilled to be a part of it.
- Location
- Cardiff
- Engineer
- Arup
- Architect
- Foster + Partners
- Tonnage
- 2.300
The space comprises a media hub and two connected five-storey office blocks; the BBC buildings have been designed to create visibility and connectivity with an atrium at the centre. The public are able to walk through the atrium - which is used for events and filming, utilising lighting systems from the floors above.
Underground fibre optic cabling linking the HQ with the Principality Stadium, just a few yards away at Central Square, means BBC Wales sport and news teams have instant editing access to images from sporting events at the stadium for the first time.
Employing around 1,200 people, this building offers cutting-edge technology facilities such as live IP (internet protocol) technology, virtual reality enabled studio and augmented reality capabilities.
The project, which also houses technicians from S4C (a Welsh-language public-service TV channel), also has retail units, including a coffee shop, on the ground floor.
Steel was chosen for this project because it provided the opportunity to work at speed and allowed for the creation of 18-metre-long clear span Fabsec beams within the offices, providing the BBC with maximum flexibility. Much of the steelwork is also left exposed due to its aesthetically pleasing look.
In total, we fabricated and constructed around 2,300 tonnes of steelwork for this project.
