Collaboration for funding and design success

This presentation uses the Coleg Gwent Newport Knowledge Quarter landmark project in Newport city centre as a case study, demonstrating how collaboration can be used not only to unlock funding for construction and future maintenance, but crucially to ensure co-design is answering the most urgent education needs in Wales for now and the future, including for those with additional learning needs. The project also explores how the education sector can successfully be part of town centre and highstreet regeneration through a collaborative approach with Local Authorities.

Delivering Further Education Through the Adaptation of Existing Buildings and its Impact on Behaviour, Wellbeing and Learning

With the recent completion of St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College’s Main Building refurbishment, Rio Architects and the college reflect on this first phase of of works and the unique opportunity it presented to reshape the building, improve user experience, and influence everyday behaviours across the campus. The session will focus on Rio Architect’s with St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College, demonstrating how adaptive reuse can influence how students engage with their environment, how staff inhabit their workplace, and how these interactions contribute to a sustainable and efficient campus, including lessons learned, building performance, and feedback from staff and students.