Central Cardiff Square St David’s shopping centre, South Wales plaza, Welsh landscape design

Central Cardiff Square at St David’s

30 August 2024

Design: LDA Design and Chapman Taylor Architects

Location: St David’s Dewi Sant – shopping centre in Cardiff city centre, South Wales, UK

Play time in Cardiff city centre

Central Cardiff Square, St David’s shopping centre

Image : VirtualPlanit

Central Cardiff Square – new plaza at St David’s

Proposals developed by LDA Design and Chapman Taylor Architects for a new urban square in the heart of Cardiff city centre have been submitted by Landsec for planning approval.

This is a rare opportunity to put playfulness at the heart of city centre public realm, and the proposals include water jets and a play park with a giant slide. It reaffirms Cardiff’s status as the UK’s first UNICEF child-friendly city and supports the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

The new square is situated on the site of the city’s former Debenhams department store, which closed in 2021. It is designed to give visitors, shoppers and city centre residents a fresh reason to head to St David’s, which is one of the largest shopping destinations in the UK and has already played a key role in regenerating Cardiff.

LDA Design director, Robert Aspland, said the proposal will create a significant, attractive, family-orientated space about the size of a football pitch. “This urban space is designed to be fun, child-focussed and distinctively Cardiff, with a wide range of adventurous play opportunities, as well as biodiverse planting and generous amounts of seating.

Cardiff city centre square at St David’s shopping centre

Image : VirtualPlanit

“I’m not sure there’s another place like it across the UK as it reclaims prime retail space for children and young people. It points to a potential way forward for many underused retail spaces.”

A ‘breadcrumb’ design approach in the surrounding streets will help lead people to the new square, which will also be directly accessible from the shopping centre.

The plaza includes space for community events and street food, café and restaurant terraces, plus an upper-level dining area overlooking the square.

The public response to the plans floated earlier in the year has been positive with people keen to see a safe, welcoming family space in the city. Engagement reached more than 5,000 community groups and individuals.

LDA Design / Chapman Taylor

Landscape designs

Central Cardiff Square, St David’s shopping centre in South Wales images / information received from LDA Design

Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.

Welsh Architecture

Contemporary Architecture in South Wales – architectural selection below:

Welsh Architecture Designs – chronological list

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Metro Central Cardiff Bus Interchange building
photo : Nick Caville / BDP
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Cardiff University Innovation Campus
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image from architects
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Cardiff Architecture News – a selection from e-architect below:

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Velindre Cancer Centre Cardiff Wales
image courtesy of architecture practice
Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff

Grange Pavilion
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photograph : James Alexander Foxhall
Grange Pavilion Cardiff

Techniquest
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Techniquest Cardiff - Welsh Architecture News
image courtesy of architecture office
Cardiff Techniquest Building

Mixed-Use Development for Cardiff Bay
Development for Cardiff Bay
image from architects
Cardiff Waterside

Welsh Building Designs

Contemporary Welsh Buildings – recent architectural selection on e-architect below:

Welsh Architecture

National Assembly for Wales design by architect Richard Rogers

Maggies Wales Building design by Kisho Kurokawa

Welsh Architects Studios

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