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STEAM ACADEMY BRIDGEND COLLEGE


Dawn of the STEAM age


A groundbreaking further education building in Bridgend, south Wales, integrates ‘art’ into the established STEM typology to make STEAM. It also combines a range of open workshop spaces alongside traditional classrooms, as James Parker discovered


T WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


he concept of bringing together Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths in technology and


practical learning-focused further education facilities, transferring skills across these related disciplines, is now well established. However a new tweak on the idea has brought so-called ‘STEAM’ facilities to the fore. The ‘A’ stands for ‘arts,’ the idea


being to ensure a rounded education for 16-18 year olds, with the emphasis being on creativity and innovation. A STEAM Academy – totalling 8,500 m² – has recently been completed for Bridgend College at its campus in Pencoed, just east of Bridgend in south Wales. The building was designed by established Cardiff-based practice Rio Architects, and is their first


ADF JUNE 2022


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