SWA were invited through a competitive process to submit design proposals for a range of business units and studios of varying and flexible sizes to accommodate a wide range of business, arts development agencies, artists and craft workers. The aim was to expand the facilities of Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Wales.

Our proposal makes use of an off-the-shelf glass-house to provide a large 1000m2 watertight enclosure for 20 studios, multipurpose spaces, hot-desks, kitchenettes & communal facilities. The cost effective transparent building cuts a long thin strip between the existing trees without destroying the mature woodland. The proposal allows studio users to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings and passers by to view creative activities within the structure as well as acting acting as an environmental 'buffer'.

The studio units are constructed from prefabricated insulated panels (SIPs) which are delivered to site and installed very quickly. Studio roof spaces are dedicated as communal zones where artists can share information and set up temporary exhibitions and displays. The proposal creates a series of private internal and more public semi-external spaces which sympathise with the site surroundings, encourage interaction amongst its users and stimulate a creative environment in which to work.