Having blinked and missed the last three years I find myself grinning with disbelief, this surreal feeling continues to wash over me and give me butterflies. The past three years will remain a rememberable and cherished experience, I will hold them close to me as I move forward with my career as an Architectural Technologist. University has had a major positive impact both academically and professionally, teaching me new skills and knowledge in my chosen discipline as well as on a wider spectrum. Most importantly my higher educational experience at Cardiff Metropolitan has allowed me to grow existentially, meeting new people, building friendships, and immersing myself into our multi-cultured Capital City has been invaluable.
Straight off the bat, I would likely describe my Cardiff Bay Arts Centre scheme as a collaboration of these experiences. Working with existing floor plans offered the opportunity implement all the skills I have gathered over the past projects, a chance to focus on areas previously looked over such as construction details and presentation skills. Having worked with timber and steel frames before, I seized the seized the opportunity to design with a fitting concrete frame. Its thermal mass advantage plays well with other sustainable aspects of the building, learning of sustainable practice has been a highlight of my degree, a passion I intend to continue to stay true to. On a social note, the Arts Centre celebrates Welsh culture paying homage to the sites historical relationship with the coal industry and its use of sustainable, and naturally sourced Welsh materials and resources. A large open plan atrium stretches the length of the building, light floods in from 5-story high glazing and light steel framed skylights. A green wall occupies the centre of the South elevation and the roof top bar terrace accompanied with a green roof, watered with an irrigation system using water collected from rainwater harvesting, these bright features bring life and colour to surrounding building and improve local biodiversity.
Wedi amrantu a cholli’r tair blynedd diwethaf, dyma fi’n gwenu’n anghrediniol, mae’r teimlad afreal yma’n parhau i olchi drosof a finnau ar bigau drain. Bydd y tair blynedd diwethaf yn aros yn brofiad cofiadwy ac annwyl, byddaf yn eu cadw’n agos wrth i mi symud ymlaen gyda fy ngyrfa’n Dechnolegydd Pensaernïol. Mae’r brifysgol wedi cael effaith fawr yn academaidd ac yn broffesiynol, gan ddysgu sgiliau a gwybodaeth newydd i mi yn fy nisgyblaeth ddewisol yn ogystal ag ar sbectrwm ehangach. Yn bwysicaf oll mae fy mhrofiad addysg uwch ym Met Caerdydd wedi gadael i mi dyfu’n ddirfodol, cwrdd â phobl newydd, meithrin cyfeillgarwch, ac ymdrochi yn ein Prifddinas amlddiwylliant a fu’n amhrisiadwy.
Yn gyntaf oll, hoffwn ddisgrifio fy nghynllun ar gyfer Canolfan Gelfyddydau Bae Caerdydd fel cydweithrediad y profiadau hyn. Drwy weithio gyda chynlluniau llawr presennol, roedd cyfle i weithredu’r holl sgiliau rwy wedi’u magu dros y prosiectau blaenorol, cyfle i ganolbwyntio ar feysydd a ystyriwyd o’r blaen fel manylion adeiladu a sgiliau cyflwyno. Wedi gweithio gyda fframiau pren a dur o’r blaen, cydiais yn y cyfle i ddylunio gyda ffrâm concrit wedi’i ffitio. Mae mantais ei fas thermol yn cyd-fynd yn dda ag agweddau cynaliadwy eraill yr adeilad, mae dysgu arfer cynaliadwy wedi bod yn uchafbwynt fy ngradd, angerdd rwy’n bwriadu parhau i’w barchu. Ar nodyn cymdeithasol, mae’r Ganolfan Gelfyddydau yn dathlu diwylliant Cymru gan dalu teyrnged i berthynas y safle â’r diwydiant glo a defnydd deunyddiau ac adnoddau Cymreig cynaliadwy, o ffynonellau naturiol. Mae atriwm cynllun agored mawr yn estyn hyd yr adeilad, mae goleuni’n llifo i mewn o wydriad 5-llawr o uchder a ffenestri to â fframiau dur ysgafn. Mae mur werdd yng nghanol gwedd de a theras bar ar y to ynghyd â tho gwyrdd, wedi’i ddyfrhau gan system sy’n casglu dŵr glaw, mae’r nodweddion llachar hyn yn dod â bywyd a lliw i’r adeilad o’u cwmpas ac yn gwella bioamrywiaeth leol.