Hafod Copperworks | Swansea
Conversion of the grade II listed Hafod and Morfa Copperworks as a distillery and visitor attraction
The Welsh Whisky Company and their iconic brand of Penderyn, approached Hiraeth Architecture to provide conservation advice and expertise in relation to alterations to the external fabric and fit out of the Powerhouse and Rolling Mill at the former Hafod Copperworks.
The proposals were a natural progression of works implemented by Swansea Council which sort to restore the shell and core of these industrial buildings. Our guidance facilitated the sensitive implementation of the new visitor centre and distillery operations, whilst ensuring the significance of the buildings and their historic fabric was retained and enhanced as part of the works.
As a global centre for the copper industry in the 19th century, the buildings of the former Hafod and Morfa Copperworks are of national significance and chart the development of industrial processes in this part of the lower Swansea Valley. Following the demise of the industry, the Powerhouse and Rolling Mill buildings fell into a poor state of repair. This was arrested by a recognition that new building uses were required, and the subsequent implementation of the development of shell and core fabric repairs, with an associated visitor centre, was led by the local authority as part of an overall redevelopment of the site.
The sympathetic introduction of distilling and visitor facilities into these buildings subsequently required the marrying of the often competing, yet prescriptive, requirements of the distilling process, with both the heritage and ecological constraints of the building. As conservation advisers for the works we assessed the proposals, developed mitigation and provided associated heritage justification via a Heritage Impact Assessment, to enable the delivery of a balanced and sympathetic scheme that ensured the significance of the buildings was protected, whilst allowing the new use to flourish.
As part of the process for undertaking the development of heritage-based proposals for the Hafod and Morfa Copperworks, it was essential to understand and convey the unique distilling process undertaken by the Welsh Whisky Company in their production of Penderyn whisky. Allied with an understanding of the heritage significance of the buildings and their state of conservation, the approach identified key requirements in the process that had potential to impact on the significance of existing fabric and character if not carefully managed.
A clear conservation strategy and associated hierarchical criteria for decision making was set out from the start of the task. This determined the following:
Conservation of Principal Structures
The Powerhouse and Rolling Mill would be adapted without any further significant alterations to the principal structure, minimising the intervention required by using existing or former openings in the fabric where possible.
Reversibility
Alterations and new interventions would primarily be able to be removed without damaging the evidential value of the historic fabric.
Retention and Repair
Original fabric found to be substantially sound would be repaired.
Replacement in Character
Existing fabric found to be perished beyond repair would be replaced with new fabric matching the originals in material, pattern and construction.
Distinction of New
Where it was assessed that the proposals required the addition of an entirely new element, then this, whilst respecting the character of the building, would be distinct, so that it could be clearly differentiated from historic fabric.
Justification for the proposals was developed in conjunction with the application of the philosophy, with optioneering undertaken as part of the process to ensure the decisions made were robust and comprehensive. This was recorded in a Heritage Impact Assessment that secured the necessary planning and listed building consent to enable to development to proceed.
The process required close coordination between the consultant team which included structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, project architects, health and safety consultants, and manufacturing suppliers. In addition to this, the importance of a constructive and positive relationship with heritage bodies also assisted in enhancing the final proposal, demonstrating the importance and benefit of collaboration when addressing complex problems, often with competing needs.
By affording the buildings the opportunity to adapt whilst respecting the historical importance of the existing fabric, the new use was largely adapted to fit the buildings, rather than the buildings adapted to suit the use. In this manner the heritage significance was retained and secured, whilst affording the future occupation of the buildings.