Park Place Student Accomodation
High quality student accommodation near Cardiff’s World Heritage Civic Centre
Location
Wales
Client
Select Property Group (Vita Group)
Sector
Education, Heritage, Hotel & Hospitality, Residential
Theme
Nature, Retrofit, Tall Buildings
Services Provided
Our team provided Civil and Structural design for this £30m development of high-quality student accommodation, delivering over 400 rooms in the heart of Cardiff city centre. Located near the World Heritage protected Civic Centre and incorporating part of a listed terrace, the project presented significant technical and heritage challenges, compounded by the Dock Feeder culvert running beneath the site.
The scheme created 401 student rooms across a new 19-storey tower, the retained and converted listed 11 Park Place, and new public realm, including a square fronting onto Park Place. A restaurant at street level and extensive resident amenities such as a gym, study areas, cinema room, private dining, and event space establish the building as a lively hub for students.
Partners
Contractor
Kier Construction
Architect
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Landscape Architect
LT Studio
Project Management
AECOM
Cost Consultant
Abacus
M&E Engineer
Crrokes Walker Consulting / Hydrock
The tower is formed in reinforced concrete with post-tensioned flat slabs, and a repetitive column arrangement for efficiency. A central core provides stability, while transfer structures at foundation level span the six-metre-wide Dock Feeder culvert located directly beneath the site. The basement was carefully designed to fit between the culvert and a major highway, with construction sequencing developed collaboratively to optimise buildability.
Civil design introduced SuDS hierarchy principles, directing storm water away from the combined sewer and into the Dock Feeder, reducing pressure on the local sewer network - providing a big gain for the Water Authority.
Planning presented its own challenges due to the site’s proximity to the World Heritage Civic Centre. Concerns around height and massing required were addressed by our engineers via the tapering top of the tower to reduce visual impact, while the use of 200mm post-tensioned slabs shaved 30mm off each floor, keeping the building below the 50 metres threshold.
A significant challenge was working around the Dock Feeder, an offshoot of the River Taff running beneath the site in a precast concrete culvert. The feeder turns through 90 degrees within the site boundary, creating significant constraints on foundations and basement design. We commissioned detailed investigations, including a point cloud survey, confined access inspection via a local engineering diving specialist and concrete testing, which confirmed the culvert’s location and very good condition.
Our structural solution avoided placing additional loads on the culvert. Deep ground beams were designed to span across the culvert, cast in two stages on Cellcore to ensure no permanent loading was transferred. This design allowed the Dock Feeder to remain protected while enabling the tower’s efficient structural grid.
Public realm improvements were significant. A new square fronts Park Place, while the western façade allows retention of mature trees, which were integrated into the new landscape design. Retention and conversion of the listed 11 Park Place villa into student studios further embedded the scheme within its historic setting.
Life at Civic