A collection of emotional spaces from re-purposing an existing carpark into flats

Due to the increased housing demands in Cardiff, an increase in new housing developments is seen around the city. As a flourishing city with a rising population of locals, internationals and students, the project explores creative methods of re-purposing existing carparks into liveable arrangement of flats. The existing NCP Carpark located on Dumfries Place is of prime location, only a street away from the heart of Cardiff’s city centre.

The carpark has a street facing front façade and a back façade which faces directly to the trainline connected to Cardiff Queen Street Station. Due to the proximity to the public context, the existing slabs of the structure are reduced to set back the living spaces for privacy concerns. The remaining beams and columns of the reduced slabs forms a frame-like structure which encapsulates the flats behind.

The scheme works with the existing split-level 5 storeys, with flats stacked and arranged to populate every level. The need for co-living resulted in the design of 3 type of flats: Jumbo Flat (4-5bedroom), 3 Bedroom and 1 Bedroom flat. This helps with inclusivity as occupants can decide which type of flat best suits their needs. By retaining most of the structural elements such as slabs, columns and beams, new walls are added within the 5 storeys to create the flats. The flats are arranged along the front and back façade with a mix of half and full height windows to maximize natural lighting. There is a total of 4 cores, with each core servicing 60 occupants across 5 storeys. Due to the long depth of the Jumbo flat, a double volume space is added to the living and dining areas to allow deeper penetration of light into the flat.

The design works with the split-level, creating moments within the flats where occupants climb flights of internal stairs to go up and down each split level. Voids are carved on the existing slabs for daylighting purposes, also creating atmospheric transitional spaces for occupants before entering their flats. Green features are included on both the roof and facades to help with over-heating during summer months. Overall, the project works with the existing structure while maximizing the existing context for heating, cooling, acoustics, and ventilation.