Singleton Campus, Swansea University
A succession of heritage-led projects managing the evolution of the Singleton Campus.
Swansea University’s Singleton Campus is home to several listed buildings which hold significance in relation to the history of Singleton Park and the early development of the University.
Swansea University’s Singleton Campus lies to the west of the city centre, overlooking Swansea Bay. Partially sat within the Sketty Conservation Area and Singleton Park – a grade I listed Historic Park and Garden made up of mature parkland and botanical gardens – the University’s historic core is formed in part by Singleton Abbey – the Tudor style mansion developed as the pre-eminent residence of the industrialist John Henry Vivien.
The University College of Swansea originated as the town’s technical college, acquiring university status in 1920. Following the purchase of the Singleton estate by Swansea Corporation in 1919, it was agreed that part of the site would be given over to house the University College of Swansea. In the early years of the university, with Singleton Abbey the only permanent building on the site, the University sought to establish its credentials initially through the provision of a library and subsequently via a series of cutting edge buildings of their time.
Subsequently listed to reflect their importance and significance, in order to remain relevant to their users, the University has found the need to continually maintain, adapt and evolve these buildings. Hiraeth Architecture have therefore worked extensively across the estate to initially address a backlog of repair requirements, and to subsequently plan for and manage maintenance and change across the site.
This has included several repair and reconfiguration projects on the grade II listed Singleton Abbey, the Library and the Wallace building, which together with addressing the historic fabric, have sensitively improved access provision for building users. In addition to this, working with the University’s estates team, and in close discussion with the local authority, we have produced several conservation management plans that have defined repair and maintenance methodologies for some of their most important historic assets on the site, therefore ensuring this work can be carried out in a timely manner, and therefore preventing associated issues arising in advance.
In addition to this we have worked with the University on the sensitive development of new interventions into the estate, including a nursery building. This continues a relationship that has previously seen the design of a multifaith centre and implementation of a pre-fabricated, modular breakout space on their Swansea Bay Campus.
Case Study 01 – Singleton Abbey
Following recommendations made in the Conservation Management Plan, a number of works have been undertaken by the university with Hiraeth acting as Conservation Architects. These include listed building consent applications to repair and upgrade windows; reconfiguration of the glazed light well to the centre of the building; access improvements; and the replacement of the fountain statues in stone to the original design. In addition to the above, Hiraeth has acted as a conservation consultant for ongoing maintenance work providing relevant specifications and advising on specialist investigations.
Case Study 02 – Original 1937 Library
Grade II listed, the original 1937 library is a classical modernist building designed by Verner Owen Rees as part of a wider development scheme, by prolific Welsh architect Sir Percy Thomas, that was never completed. Hiraeth Architecture has worked on several projects in relation to the Library including the overhaul of the roof and uncovering of original glass block roof lights, ground floor reconfiguration and accessibility works, refurbishment of circulation spaces and toilets, together with improved accessibility proposals, elevation repairs and landscaping works to the east elevation. A Conservation Management Plan has similarly been developed to ensure that pre-agreed repair works can be undertaken without the need for individual consents.
Case Study 03 – Wallace Building (Natural Sciences Building)
The Wallace Building was developed in a classical modernist style, by architect Sir Percy Thomas to be intentionally sympathetic to the earlier library building. It was constructed in two phases, with the central section constructed 1956 and the outer wings in 1961. It is grade II listed as an early post-war example of a large-scale, purpose-built university building in the UK. In 2023 Hiraeth began developing a Conservation Management Plan for the building in order to inform future proposals for the building. Our condition report as part of this process has more recently led to the development of repairs to the flat roofs of the building, ensuring the fabric is maintained in a good condition going forwards.
Over a number of years, Hiraeth architecture has developed an in depth understanding of the Swansea’s Singleton Campus and its development. Our ongoing relationship with the university has allowed for a level of continuity across the site and has resulted in a positive step toward the conservation of their most significant buildings.
