The site located in Llanberis, Wales currently houses a set of slate barracks, in a unusable condition. The aim of this project is to introduce a traditional building skills hub to the site, linked to the exisiting slate musuem.
The existing barracks are repurposed, partially resembling their original role i.e. housing. Ten of the barracks on the West side are used to provide 10 living studios, including one accessible. The standard studios have been underpinned with a basement, in which bedroom and ensuite are situated. All of the daily living spaces are located within the ground floor of the existing barrack but have been upgraded by adding additional large windows, which provide views of the picturesque landscape. East barracks house an office for the hub’s management, two classrooms, a link to the new building, plant room and a bin store, close to the train link.
The site has been further enhanced with two separate buildings. The larger one situated behind the barracks, towards the slope of the mountain, features four workshops to slate, stone, wooden work and blacksmithing. There is also a material store, set of toilets and a common room for students and staff with a kitchenette. The old train link has been repurposed and extended towards inside of this building, allowing easy transportation of materials, necessary for the workshops.
A second, new addition, sits buried in the mountain slope, with a small hut above used to situate a lift and staircase leading underground. Once underground, the visitors can explore a cafe and a library, which both provide floor to ceiling windows, allowing to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Snowdonia.
In addition to repurposing the existing buildings, the heritage of the site is also promote within the shapes of the new buildings as they follow the vernacular cottage form. The choice of cladding, vertical fired timber, complements the existing materiality of horizontal slate. The is a harmony between the old and the new, however the heritage of the existing is enhanced.
