CUSTOM HOUSE

Final Major Project

By Yosra Alasmari

Custom House is one of many historic buildings that testify Cardiff's industrial history. This document contains the complete process for the final major project relating to this building.

History of the building's location:

Cardiff Bay was a vital coal port, with ships transporting coal from the mines in the South Wales Valleys to destinations worldwide. In the 1880’ s, Cardiff's port was handling more coal than any other port in the world, but after WW2 demand for coal declined and by the 1960s coal exports had virtually come to an end. In the 1980s, a significant redevelopment project was launched to regenerate the site, which was known as the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation. The project involved significant construction work, including creating a barrage to control the water levels in the bay, constructing new buildings, and refurbishing old ones. The redevelopment included the opening of Mermaid Quay in 1999. It features restaurants, cafes, bars, an art gallery, and boutique shops inspired by Cardiff Bay's history.

History of Bute Street

Bute Street is in Cardiff Bay, an area that witnessed the history of the Industrial Revolution. The street was dominated by swamps and meadows. During the increasing export of coal and iron because of the high demand for them, the 2nd Marquess of Butte realized in the 1820s that the Glamorganshire Canal, which had been built in 1794, was not sufficient to accommodate the demands of the iron trade, and a new development plan began for the area. The plan included the construction of Butte Street as a major thoroughfare connecting the sidewalks to the city center and was completed in 1830.

The History of The Custom House

1879

Prior to the construction of the Custom House, the site was occupied by the gardens of the dock chambers.

1899 The building appears on the map after construction, and there are many buildings instead of gardens

The custom house is a historic building on Bute Street in Cardiff Bay, Wales, which served as a former immigration office. This building is part of the Mount Stuart Square Conservation Area and is a Grade II listed building. It was constructed in 1898 by Henry Tanner. The building was designed in a classical style. Previously, the building housed multiple offices, including an inquiry room on the first floor. This building hasn't been occupied for more than 25 years.

1915

Custom House is clearly shown on the map before the extension

1947

Custom House is shown on the map, as well as the extension added to the building in 1921

Significance statement of building:

High significance

Medium significance

Least significance

The importance of the building is linked to the historic and aesthetic values of the fabric of the building, which are still visible on the facade of the building and from the back, along with some of the interior material represented by parts of the walls, columns, and stairs.

The proposed building is located in the southeast corner of Mount Stuart Square Conservation Area, which has several listed buildings. Historically, Cardiff's docks and iron and coal industries contributed to the area's maritime and commercial character. A key feature of the Mount Stuart Square Conservation Area is its architecture, which preserves remnants of the area’s historical development from the 1850s and more opulent commercial buildings developed from the end of the 19th Century. Architects have created a complex urban environment combining various architectural styles and scales. It has many listed buildings, including some of the best examples of commercial architecture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Custom House is located on Bute Street extending from Cardiff Bay into the city centre, which runs on the west side of the building. The building is bordered on the east by a narrow pedestrian lane called Dukes Lane that runs along Bute Street and overlooks Lloyd George Avenue street, on the north, there are car parks, commercial buildings and the train station. And to the south, there are several historical and commercial buildings.

There are many buildings surrounding the site. Around the site, there is a lot of traffic. The site is close to transportation, such as train, bus and cars.

There are many residential, commercial buildings, cultural and educational buildings around the site.

There is a tree line that extends about 30m to the east of the site and Silurian Park lies that extends about 406m to the north of the site

Existing ground floor plan

Description of the building:

The building has four floors. At the front of the building are four stories, including the basement, while the back has two stories. The structure features a classic Portland stone facade of a brick frame, stone chimney stacks, pink Doric columns, and ceramic tile walls.

This picture shows the original materials used for the columns and walls (pink Doric columns and tile-ceramic walls), which will be preserved, and those that have been neglected will be repaired

A view of the room from the eastern side of the building at the rear.

Existing second floor plan

A view of the long room , which has coffered ceilings and projecting arches on the walls..

Existing basement floor plan

21C Museum Hotel Louisville, USA

This structure was once a giant storehouse for bourbon and tobacco storage. Now, this is a boutique hotel and a sizable exhibition area where various events are often presented. The structure has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel bars offer different bourbon from regional distilleries as a nod to the building's past.

Hotel Im Wasserturm Cologne, Germany

This building was one of the highest water towers in all of Europe. The structure was erected 140 years ago, primarily damaged during World War II, and restored in the 1990s before being transformed into a luxury hotel.

Two of the restaurants in this cylinder-shaped tower, which boasts a stunning panorama over the city, are Michelin-starred.