Ysgol Maes Y Gwendraeth
Carmarthenshire
The project
As part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Secondary School Development Strategy, we were commissioned to merge two of three schools, as recommended in a major rearrangement plan. A large part of that scheme was the reorganisation of Maes Y Gwendraeth Secondary School, resulting in the closure of two existing sites due to excess building stock.
Invited contractors
Although initially appointed by the Council, our team was novated to the main contractor to provide architectural services during Stage 2 Tendering and Construction. We worked closely with the client team to set realistic target costs and invited contractors under a two-stage D&B agreement to deliver the works – creating a new facility that achieved BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
Close collaboration
As working in a live environment is always a major challenge, we knew we would need tight collaboration. We worked closely with the contractor and the school to develop a schedule of accommodation and room data sheets that helped with the reorganisation of faculties and ensured a smooth handover during key start dates.
We also led extensive stakeholder consultations with staff and governors, including evening events with pupils, parents and neighbours to make sure we thoroughly managed expectations.
