Cllr. Ellen ap Gwynn of Ceredigion County Council receiving the CLAW 2012 Commendation Award from Milica Kitson, Chief Executive, Constructing Excellence Wales.
Commendation Award Winner 2012
| Name of client | Ceredigion County Council – Department of Education and Cultural Services and Department of Social Services |
| Contract value | £2,000,000 |
| Project Manager | D Billingsley, Chief Architect, Ceredigion County Council |
| Project Architect | A Bailey, Principal Architect, Ceredigion County Council |
| Quantity Surveyor | D Evans, QS, Ceredigion County Council |
| Mechanical Engineer | S Fincham, Ceredigion County Council |
| Electrical Engineer | L Williams. Ceredigion County Council |
| Structural Engineer | J Edwards, Ceredigion County Council |
| Clerk of Works | D Jones, Ceredigion County Council |
| Planning Supervisor | P Thomas, Ceredigion County Council |
| Main Contractor | RL Davies and Son, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Wales |
As the brief for the project was developed, the Council asked for the building to also accommodate a day centre facility on the lower ground floor.
The new accommodation has allowed the transfer of the Town Library and the County Archives from their previous unsatisfactory locations and facilities in other parts of the town.
The project involved the complete refurbishment of the external envelope of the building, incorporating a new insulated render system, the structural repair and strengthening of the fabric to support the functions of library and archives use, the remodelling of the internal layout and the installation of new heating, lighting, fire protection and ventilation systems appropriate to those new uses.
Works commenced on site in September 2010 and were completed on programme in April 2012. The cost of the project was also supported by a grant from CyMAL.
The new accommodation provided on the ground floor comprises main entrance and reception foyer, adults, teenagers and children’s public lending library areas, a community resource room, computer access area, toilet provision and archives strong room. On the first floor the new accommodation comprises further public lending library areas, local studies and reference library areas, the county archives search room and two further archives strong rooms. On the lower ground floor level the new accommodation comprises the day centre reception, office and lounge area, a hygiene room, kitchen and toilet provision, storage areas, plant rooms, a day centre meeting room, archives admissions and cataloguing areas and the library staff offices.
The new library, archives and day centre are all fully accessible and provide a dramatic new community focal point in the centre of Aberystwyth.
The existing building has been completely re-enveloped in a highly insulated render system.
Solar collectors have been installed on the roof of the building to heat its hot water.
An efficient new boiler installation has been provided.
Cllr. Ellen ap Gwynn of Ceredigion County Council receiving the CLAW 2012 Commendation Award from Milica Kitson, Chief Executive, Constructing Excellence Wales.