An exploration into the reintroduction of modern industry at Cefn Coed Colliery

Within this thesis, the site of Cefn Coed Colliery, formerly the deepest anthracite coal mine in Wales, has been the focus, exploring different lenses through which we perceive it and sites like it, leading to an investigation of how reintroduction of industry might serve to benefit this scheme. Stemming from a particular interest in the machinery and the material interaction between these relics and the building fabric they reside in, the research took the path of exploring the aspects of sublime on site, both industrial and post-industrial, and the required context necessary to best appreciate them, which I believe the site to be incomplete within the Museum of Cefn

From this, the stance arose that the now-missing industrial activity and occupation on the site plays a key role in truly appreciating it, leading to the development of an architectural scheme seeking to reinstate this appreciation by re-contextualising the historic elements within a modern industrial setting, allowing the site to continue its ever-changing development cycle and provide expanded and new purpose to this now deactivated coal mining site. Regional industry and a low carbon focus led to a selection of the Steel industry as a key means of applying this new industry, creating links to the surrounding area, such as Port Talbot and Swansea, as well as providing opportunity for global climate issues, such as the Carbon production tied to such industries, to be addressed through the means of researching new

And thus, the design of a green steel research complex would arise as the means for restoring the site and reintroducing the sought after modern industry. Key facilities designed around the current researched methods of greenly producing Steel would inform the program and subsequently lead to the formation of the final scheme, tying in heavy elements of visitor engagement within. Integration of the existing museum and visitor focused elements would play a key role in this development, tying together the old and the new industrial practices within the scheme and allowing the visitors to witness first-hand the potential of future developments to production methods alongside appreciating the now restored industrial context of the historic site elements.

Expansion of the existing museum offering as well as proposition of new buildings to provide more modern and accessible facilities would seek to bolster the user experience and provide new ways of appreciating the existing sublime elements. Together this scheme seeks to provide greater purpose to the site of Cefn Coed, allowing for appreciation of old and new practices together within a singular unified scheme, whilst restoring the now missing context that the site requires to be truly appreciated and understood.