Community

'The project sets to re-invigorate the underused Resolven Miner's Welfare (RMW) by restoring it to what it once was. A centre of community life in an old mining town, where the strength of spirit is incredibly viceral. By bringing back the building to its former use, the RMW would operate as a community hub on the ground floor with an active theatre space above, as it once was but within the architectural ability of the 21st century. This comes in two phases, with the ground floor in Phase 1 as outlined by the work of the group, aimed at generating an income and delivering on the intent set out before, to reignite the community and provide them with a space they can make their own. Phase 2 then establishes the work complete on floors above where the theatre establishes itself as an entertainment hub for the Upper Neath Valley and is designed to fire a passion in both the young and old that has been without a home for some time

The design of the rejuvenated theatre space is focused on reconnection, following on from the theme of transparency seen in the ground floor design. Here this takes the shape of viewports, piercing through the re-pointed brickwork, allowing a direct line of sight from within the theatre to the landscape around. There is an undeniable drama to the Welsh Valleys. The rolling hills and dramatic weather offer a pathetic fallacy to the work of actors on stage, yet these two components are often separated by walls. In the rare circumstances they are not, the open-air theatre brings them closer, but in the Welsh climate, this seems unrealistic and so a design compromise was settled on with the viewports allowing a connection for the audience to enjoy and engage with. On an evening, if a live performance is taking place, members of the audience can sit and enjoy the show on stage and the show of the landscape. If it is a pitch-black environment is required, then curtains can be drawn on the auxiliary stages of the viewports as the curtain rises on the cinematic screen for the beginning of a film.

With the theatre now returned to its former glory, the once-beating heart of the community can be restored. Some may question the value of a theatre and how it helps alleviate a village. In short, it provides opportunity. The village used to host its own operatic society that performed plays throughout the year. Both young and old would partake in these events and it would give children and teens a sense of responsibility and a positive outlet outside of school that may just ignite something in them. The valleys have churned out some of the biggest names in film and music across the years and there is no reason to stop this.

By bringing back the theatre, that opportunity arrives once more. Schoolchildren can return to putting in hours of practice for the big summer performance in a space that encourages their talents and is specialist towards them. Parents and Grandparents can have yet another reason to be proud of the young family members as they come to watch rehearsals and the final show. Those members of the community who have something to teach can do so and all can reignite the community spirit in Resolven once more.