Canolfan Byd Bychan / Small World Centre

Official Opened 17 June 2008

Click here to link to openning page

We are still applying for licenses and will be taking bookings and presenting work soon. Please contact us to enquire about the availability and costs of our various spaces and news events we are presenting as a company in this worderful new creative space for a creative community

Details and photos of the process of producing this sustainable building below

New red facia ... grey air source heat pump

curved decking ramp and willow wattle wall (to be lime rendered)

A CREATIVE SPACE FOR A CREATIVE COMMUNITY

SUPPORTERS

So far the project has been funded by Europe via the ERDF scheme, Objective One. Ceredigion Council Local Regeneration Fund

The Welsh Assembly Government via CFAP the Communities Facilities and Activities Programme. THE FOYLE FOUNDATION. The Arts Council of Wales.

How to find us

Scroll down for more photos on site

Most of the ceilings, walls and all the exposed timber has been painted or varnished . We need more helpers to finish off the painting bit. In Spring 2008 we will need volunteers to help create our wattle and daub/lime front walls. Phone 01239 615952

Farmyard Nurseries, Llandysul grew the sedum and we have transplanted it on sheets and transferred it to the roof . However the strong winds around Christmas blew under the water-retaining layer of plastic egg box like sheets and blew our sedum matting into a tangled heap so it is now recovering in our allotment till Spring or when it is fully recovered and refitted to the roof.

Canolfan Byd Bychan / Small World Centre is a new building initiative that will house Small World Theatre and be a base to organise a wide variety of projects. The inclusion of many sustainable building features in the building design, together with a Resource Centre in Education for Sustainability (EFS) and Global Citizenship (GC) housed within the new building, supports local awareness of environmental sustainability.

Aerial shots of the building early May 2007

The two pics above are by John Bass, Aerial Mast Photography.

Below is a link to their site

http://www.aerialmastphotography.co.uk/

A very badly put together multiple image of a very well put together aspect of the inside hexagon . Why don't I get a wide angle lens ? OK soon.

Under floor heating going all areas left kitchen - middle dance/ movement space - right, workshop

Willow laths will cover the front of the building but the first frosts have come so the lime based surface can not be applied till it warms up in spring.

We will cover this willow with lime render but it is so stunning why don't we cover the sofit under the eves with willow to keep something of the beautiful effect? Maybe it is not durable enough.

Find out later what we decide in this struggle to use natural materials, balance the budget, establish an aesthetic and meet standards too.

The top of the building about to go on. The Mermaid weather vane will be fitted later.

The top piece of the building was lifted by crane into place. All the bolt holes matched and so the building's roof is now sealed from the rain.

Dylan Thomas crane and plant hire Cenarth

The site after clearing ...... Bill, Julie Morgan MP and Ann

Julie morgan MP. Cardiff North, visited Small World Theatre to catch up on our latest projects in Wales and Syria and visit the site of Canolfan Byd Bychan / Small World Centre. We started the day with a visit to the old bike shop where some of the latest giant carnival puppets are stored . Julie Morgan has been a supporter of Small World Theatre's work since seeing our show Diogel? /Safe? performed in a series of school shows in her constituency in Cardiff.

Julie and her husband Rhodri Morgan (first minister for Wales) also saw our massive street event at the Cardigan River and Food festival in 2005 and enjoyed it so much that we received a positive review from her on House of Commons note paper, ( one for the archive) We were also mentioned in parliament on the floor of the House of Commons which lead us to be invited to present our findings gathered from 3 years of our Diogel ?/ Safe? project to an all party group of Welsh MP's at the house of Commons in 2005.

August 7th the slates are all fixed and the cedar boards are going on. The lower sedum roof structure is in place

Ann, Julie and Liz layout the mats for sedum planting in Julies garden. Thanks to them, Jake, Toby , Bill, Carol and Vanya for inventing ways of getting it to root in the mat during rain and high winds.

Tom fitting the drainage layer ready for the sedum. If you attempt this on your building maybe try gluing it down as we found that this layer lifted in the wind and blew away twice over the Christmas period with only the weight of the sedum mat to hold it down. We will try again in the Spring.

Not only will the lower roof of sedum drain into water butts but rain water harvesting will supply the bulk of the water needs of the building from the upper roofs

The under floor heating will be supplemented by an air source heat pump and the wattle and daub walls will help keep the imbedded energy quotient down.

Recycled paper insulation, bricks recovered from the site and other recycled materials will be used to increase the "green" aspect of this build.

We have recently had a brief visit to the site by Joyce Watson the Assembly member for Mid and West Wales who was shown around the building by Ann and Bill.

She seemed impressed by the building and interested in the work of Small World Theatre internationally with development and also here in West Wales.

Left to right Ann Shrosbree SWT, Linda Grace prospective Labour candidate for AM and Eluned Morgan Labour Euro MP

Emyr Rees taking photos

Eluned and Linda were Shown around by Ann and Bill. They asked many searching questions about the building and the company and the sustainability measures the building embodies.

Keep scrolling for latest photos

These floor plans are not the most recent versions but give an idea of this innovative architectural solution to an unusual site.

Latest photos

March rafters on

Feb. 21 07

Top Rafters Feb. 21 07

More of the roof line is now visible (February 7th 2007)

Almost full height, just a couple of meters more

Locally sourced timber rises skyward

Half the frame in place

The height will increase by about 30%

Lifting the frames

The trees arriving

Almost ready to pour the floor slabs

The round wall is forming. This photo give the best sense of the curved front so far.

Concrete pouring on the reinforced steel ground beams

The steel reinforced foundations for the curved front of the building were made in situ.

Let's start on a journey up and down

Bricks from the site were cleaned stacked by keen volunteers . Thanks. The bricks will be recycled as the curved entrance lobby walls.

What will go on in and from the building?
Possible uses for CBB/SWC:

A centre to base the work of Small World Theatre

Local Centre
Community arts, Arts for regeneration for Cardigan and West Wales
Classes in Drama, movement, Yoga, Circus, mime etc
Teaching Modules in drama, Arts for regeneration, community arts / development
Teachers resource centre for education for sustainability and global citizenship.
Eventually, possibly a local radio station focused around arts, events and local issues.
It may serve as a focus for sustainable architecture and building using CBB as an example
Regional centre for arts outside Cardiff in conjunction with Theatr Mwldan
Developing content in conjunction with Mwldan Creative
An example of sustainable building encouraging others to seek green solutions.
A place for local meetings both large and small.

Exhibitions : especially 3D work and large sculptures. Time based work and installations and photography.

SWT have the skills to facilitate consultation events in the centre

National Centre
Puppetry and carnival giants
Theatre for Development, a focal point for Wales.
Work in conjunction with Film festivals.

International Centre
Arts and Culture for Development (ACD), theatre for development training and a focal point for ACD networks.
Small to medium scale conferences on world issues and theatre.

Consultation

The ongoing consultation process was augmented with an opportunity for the public to view the plans before final working drawings are made. An exhibition of the work that Small World Theatre has been doing locally and a display of the architectural plans was held at Creative Mwldan Creadigidol on the 24th Nov 2005. The public were asked to explore ways in which the space will be used and the type of activities that will be hosted at Canolfan Byd Bychan. Many useful suggestions came out of the event and were passed on to the architectural team.

We are desperately saving money and pitching in to get work done by volunteers so we can complete this fantastic building so there are still opportunities for funders to come on board with this unique building. GIVE US THE MONEY NOW for this creative space for a creative community. Below is a celtic knot link to our donations page