The £16 million ($25.4 million) state-of-the-art special school is designed to accommodate up to 150 pupils with severe disabilities within the age range of three to 19-years-old. The school features classrooms, offices and administration areas, hydrotherapy facilities, medical and therapy support rooms, soft play and sensory rooms and specialised recreational facilities.
Cardiff Council’s in-house design team developed the design through to planning permission stage, with Holder Mathias acting as architects for Cowlin Construction in delivering the new special school, as well as adjacent residential respite and mini-bus buildings, for the council.
It replaces an existing special school in Cardiff, with students continuing to attend classes at the old facility in Penylan during the first few weeks of term. During this time span, Ty Gwyn was fitted out with furniture and equipment with the staff receiving extensive training on how to use the new equipment as well as the building’s operational systems before students transferred to Ty Gwyn on 27 September 2010.
Work began on the project in April 2009 and the development has created a campus-style site in the area, with local schools Trelai Primary, Woodlands High School and Riverbank Special School adopting a collegiate approach between facilities, both mainstream and special. This will enable optimum use of resources and the development of integrated services for the benefit of children, young people and their families.
Both the school and respite centre have been developed under the Secure by Design standard – approved by the Police Authority – and built to the BREEAM-Excellent standard, working closely with the Carbon Trust to enhance sustainability and good energy practices. The school has also been a Constructing Excellence in Wales demonstration project.
