Restoration

We are proposing to sensitively restore and refurbish the existing building whilst retaining its sense of community.

The project should intimately fit into the context and emphasise the rich history of the land and its mining past. Inside, these spaces should be purpose-driven, responding directly to local needs, and able to adapt as the community continues to naturally evolve around it.

We aim to largely work within the existing building footprint to nurture the existing communities, through a hub-like centre, pub and café. The addition of a café we hope will create a softer and more informal gathering space for Resolven and the wider community.

The nature of a retrofit faces us with both environmental constraints and opportunities, including anticipated issues regarding our sustainability agenda and increased construction costs. Connecting with local people and funds to increase environmental sustainability will simultaneously ensure we achieve social sustainability.

Our overall vision is to build upon the sense of community in Resolven. This project aims to re-build and restore this community hub, reflecting the proud community of Resolven within it.

To preserve the community activity that is present and alive in Resolven, we are placing a high priority on how the building can facilitate the people of Resolven.
The primary users of the Resolven Miners Welfare, and the key stakeholders are:
The Resolven Young Performers & CISWO Ladies Group.

The concept of the project takes the most essential parts of the Resolven community – to socialise and stay creative. The proposal seeks to create a new community hub at the heart of Resolven, and a centre for the creative

The structural strategy for the proposal is conceived with two key aims: to use lightweight, affordable materials. This is satisfied primarily through the use of CLT and brick.
The proposed program plays to diurnal division of space through the day, with the northern ring of spaces used more calmly in the daytime, and the southern end more for lively evening events and activities. These key spaces set distinct environments for all types of users, providing reason to visit the building and, finally, the town in the upcoming future.
The site holds great value in terms of providing a social hub for the community however, in terms of its aesthetic and street presence, it leaves a lot to be desired. We aim to revitalise the existing facade through a sensitive retrofit; the building is not listed which enables more architectural imagination. The client has expressed their wish for the building to have a more refined architectural aesthetic.

To ensure the financial viability of the project, a phased approach to the scheme is necessitated. This is envisaged in THREE KEY PHASES, each themselves divided into fundraising and construction periods. This is to avoid the risk of financial overextension, and give sufficient time for fundraising, seeking grants (which the development is fundamentally predicated upon), and raising revenue from the existing building. As we have proposed a bottom-up renovation approach we are aware of the careful planning that will be needed to ensure the protection of completed works and, the ongoing income streams in order to achieve our latter phases of construction. The construction phasing considers temporary works locations in line with CDM 2015, as well as the wider logistics.

Financially, the project is predicated on a phased approach. Though contingencies should of course be prepared, as is necessary with any large restoration project, an estimated gross cost of works of approximately £1,773,000 has been anticipated from Q1 2023 to Q1 2027. This figure is based upon an average estimation of building cost / m2 determined for three categories: new-build portions of works, light renovation works, and extensive restorations.