Glan Y Don Abergele Road Colwyn Bay LL29 8AW
North Wales Police – Heddlu Gogledd Cymru is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales.
As of March 2020, the force has 1,510 police officers, 170 special constables, 182 police community support officers, 71 police support volunteers, and 984 staff.
Having cycled from Prestatyn, I popped into reception to ask permission to photograph the exterior of the HQ.
Following a short wait, I was granted permission.
The building is an imposing steel, concrete and glass system built structure of 1972, with brick outliers on a grassy site.
It has undergone adaptation to modern eco-standards.
The administration building for North Wales Police, located in Colwyn Bay, was typical of the breed: a 1970s leaky and draughty concrete-framed building with high solar gains, especially on the South and West facades. It consumed a lot of energy and delivered very poor comfort conditions.
The budget for the refurbishment was set at around £2.4 million. North Wales Police appointed Capita Symonds as the Project Manager with the design team comprising FSP Architects, Buro Happold, WS Atkins, and Faithful+Gould.
A system of brise-soleil solar shading was provided for the East, South and West facades. Combined with the reduced area of glazing, the brise soleil reduced the solar gains enough to avoid the need for mechanical cooling and for the natural ventilation strategy to be retained.
The building’s most striking features are the entrance porch and water feature – a gentle hint of Oscar Niemeyer.
There is also a distinctive modular cast concrete screen wall.
Along with a more prosaic California screen block.
Walking the accessible area it is clear that the hard surfaces are broken up with the extensive planting and sylvan setting.
My thanks to the kindly receptionist for assisting me in my work. – much appreciated.
Diolch yn fawr!
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