Altolusso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Altolusso |
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| General information | |
| Type | Residential |
| Location | Cardiff, Wales |
| Address | Bute Terrace, Cardiff CF10 2FF |
| Current tenants | Consort Property Management |
| Construction started | 2003 |
| Completed | 2005 |
| Cost | £40,000,000 ca. |
| Client | Redrow Homes |
| Owner | Freehold Managers |
| Height | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 23 |
| Floor area | 19 697 m² (212,020 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Holder Mathias Architects |
| Structural engineer | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Services engineer | McCann & Partners |
| Main contractor | Laing O'Rourke |
Altolusso means "high luxury" in Italian. It is a tall apartment building, also known as a skyscraper, located in Cardiff, Wales. This impressive building stands 72 metres (236 feet) high and has 23 floors.
When it was finished in 2005, Altolusso was the tallest residential building in Wales. Today, it is still one of the tallest buildings in both Cardiff and Wales.
The building has a unique Y-shape. Inside, there are 292 fancy apartments with one to three bedrooms. From these apartments, residents can enjoy amazing views across the city. There is also a three-storey car park just for the building. Altolusso is located very close to Cardiff city centre, near popular spots like Cardiff International Arena and Cardiff Queen Street railway station.
Contents
History of Altolusso
What was on the site before?
Before Altolusso was built, the land had a long history. Since 1837, it was used to make and store coal gas. This was done by a company called the Cardiff Gas Light and Coke Co. Most of the old buildings on the site were from the 1890s. Some smaller parts were added or changed in the 1960s and 1990s. These older buildings were taken down to make way for the new Altolusso tower.
Building Design of Altolusso
How was Altolusso designed?
Altolusso was built where an old college used to be. The first two floors of the building still have the old Victorian-style front of the college. Even though this old front wasn't officially protected, the Cardiff Council asked for it to be kept during the planning stage.
By 2003, the old front was in bad condition. It had also been changed over the years, for example, with a driveway added. To fix this, the old front was carefully repaired and rebuilt. Workers used stone blocks from other buildings that were taken down from the back of the site. This old front now forms part of the main entrance area, which is three storeys high and has a glass roof.
The unique shape of the building
The building's design looks like a three-leaf clover. It has three curved sections that spread out from a central area. This central part holds things like elevators and other services. This design was chosen not just to make the building look good. It also helped to make sure the building's outer walls were very flat and smooth. An acrylic-based material was used on the outside. This helps the building stay strong and protected from bad weather.
Where is Altolusso located?
Altolusso's surroundings
Altolusso is surrounded by different features. To the north, it faces Bute Terrace, which is part of Cardiff's inner road system. To the south, it is next to the main South Wales Main Line railway track. On its east side, there is Harlech Court, which has a car park and a four-storey office building. To the west, it is next to Meridian Gate, which used to be an office building.
The southern edge of the site has a tall Victorian stone and brick wall, about 3 to 4 meters high. An artificial water channel, called the dock feeder, also runs past the south-eastern corner of the building.
Altolusso in TV Shows
Altolusso has even been featured in a TV show! It was used during filming for the science fiction TV series Torchwood. This show is filmed and made in Cardiff. On June 8, 2006, a scene was filmed where the main character, Jack Harkness, was standing on top of the building, looking out over Cardiff.
See Also
