We are delighted to announce that GWPA have been appointed Architects and Conservation Architects to lead the Palace Theatre preservation and redevelopment project. Swansea Council are to renovate the Grade 2 listed building into modern office space.

GWPA are leading a highly experienced design team that includes structural, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers Hydrock; project managers and quantity surveyors TC Consult, working with dedicated officers of Swansea Council.

Robert Francis-Davies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said in a recent press release: “We wanted a design team that would bring creativity, dynamism and experience to this tremendous project – and that’s what we have.”

GWP Architecture director Richard Townend said: “After years of disrepair at the Palace, we will now work with the council to bring the building back to life with a modern commercial focus. This will help the council continue its work on redeveloping the High Street area and Swansea city centre as a whole.  We want the Palace’s renovation – for new commercial use with high-quality office space – to help make it a focal point for creative businesses, small to medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.  We also want to retain the potential for smaller scale performances, events and conferencing.”

The appointment on this scheme, increases our live heritage led projects in South Wales to four, including the creation of a distillery and visitor centre at Swansea’s Hafod Morfa Copperworks for Swansea Council.

To enable the greatest understanding of the building and its 132 year history, the design team wish to seek recollections, photos and copies of other Palace memorabilia from all involved in the theatres past. These can be shared with the project’s new Facebook page.