Tramshed, Cardiff facts for kids
Tramshed is a cool place in Cardiff, Wales. It's a music and arts center. This building used to be an old depot for trams. Trams are like electric buses that run on tracks. The Tramshed opened in October 2015. It can hold about 1,000 people for big events. The building also has 30 special apartments. People can live and work in these units.
The building is also a "Grade II listed" place. This means it's a very old and important building. It is protected so it cannot be changed too much.
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The Tramshed's Past Life
The Tramshed building is in an area called Grangetown. It used to be the main place for Cardiff's trams. It was called the Cardiff Tram Depot and Central Workshops.
When Trams Ruled the Roads
The red brick buildings were built in 1902. They were made bigger in 1925. From 1902 to 1946, this depot was the end point for trams coming from the west of Cardiff. After trams, the building was used for trolleybuses until 1953. Trolleybuses are like electric buses that get power from overhead wires.
In 1997, the building became "Grade II listed". This happened because it was a rare and important building from a big tram system. The front of the building has eleven brick sections. Each section has a round window with slats and two half-circle windows high up.
New Ideas for an Old Building
Later, the buildings became workshops for Cardiff Council's vehicles. In 2002 and 2003, people thought about turning the buildings into a £3.5 million arts centre. They called this idea "The Depot". This was part of Cardiff trying to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008. This title is given to a city in Europe to celebrate its culture. Cardiff did not win the title, so the arts centre idea stopped for a while.
Bringing the Tramshed Back to Life
In 2013, the council's vehicle workshop moved out. The old buildings were then put up for sale. Many ideas were thought about for what the building could be next. In November 2014, Cardiff Council said they were talking to a buyer. This buyer wanted to turn the buildings into an arts centre. It would have a gallery, dance studios, work spaces, and meeting rooms.
Plans for a Modern Hub
The developers, called TShed, sent their plans for approval in March 2015. The architects were Ellis Williams Architects. They had also turned an old flour mill into the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle. People could visit an open day to see the plans. The plans included a music venue for 1,000 people. They also thought about adding a small brewery.
The first part of the new Tramshed opened in October 2015. This was the 1,000-person music venue. The first concert planned there was for UB40 on October 24. But it had to be moved to Cardiff University Students Union. This was because the building wasn't quite finished in time.
Tramshed and its business area, Tramshed Tech, were officially opened in September 2016. Wales' First Minister, Carwyn Jones, opened them.
