Cardiff’s state-of-the-art, multi-million pound Ty Gwyn Special School has earned further plaudits from the construction industry.
The Ty Gwyn Project Team has been recognised with a Demonstration Project Award by Constructing Excellence Wales for the design of the £16m school in Caerau which opened in September 2010.
The award follows the project’s recognition earlier this year at the Local Authority Building Control awards when it scooped the top award in the Best Public/Community Building category. Developed as part of the Council’s schools organisation plan which includes around £180m of approved investment committed to school buildings in Cardiff in recent years, the project was led by Projects Design & Development, the Council’s in-house design team including architects, engineers and project managers who designed and delivered the scheme with Cowlin Construction fulfilling the role of Design and Build Contractor.
The school, which replaces the old facility in Penylan, can accommodate 150 pupils with severe disabilities, aged three to 19 and its facilities include classrooms, hydrotherapy facilities, medical and therapy support rooms, soft play and sensory rooms and specialised recreational facilities.
The Project Team put forward the new Ty Gwyn for consideration by Constructing Excellence Wales to be granted Demonstration Status in 2009 and was awarded the Demonstration Project Award at the annual awards event at Holland House Hotel. The development has received ‘Secured by Design’ accreditation in consultation with South Wales Police Authority and has been built to exemplar environmental BREEAM excellent standard, working closely with the Carbon Trust to enhance sustainability and good energy practices.
Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Freda Salway, said: “We know what a fantastic facility we have in the new Ty Gwyn in Caerau which provides outstanding provision for vulnerable children and their families but it’s particularly pleasing to see the project recognised once again by industry experts.”
