Wales Millennium Centre facts for kids
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| Location | Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales |
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| Coordinates | 51°27′54.14″N 3°9′48.72″W / 51.4650389°N 3.1635333°W |
| Owner | Phase 1: Wales Millennium Centre Phase 2: Lime Property Fund (Aviva Investors) |
| Operator | Phase 1: Wales Millennium Centre Phase 2: BBC |
| Type | Company limited by guarantee |
| Capacity | Donald Gordon Theatre: 1,897 BBC Hoddinott Hall: 350 Weston Studio Theatre: 250 Cabaret: 140 Grace Williams Studio: 60 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 2002 |
| Opened | Phase 1: 26–28 November 2004 Phase 2: 31 January 2009 |
| Renovated | 2022/3 (Phase 1 Refurbishment) |
| Construction cost | Phase 1: £106.2 million Phase 2: £18 million Phase 1 Refurbishment: £4 million |
| Architect | Phase 1: Jonathan Adams (Percy Thomas Partnership) Phase 2: Tim Green and Keith Vince (Capita Percy Thomas) Phase 1 Refurbishment: Richard H Powell (interior designers) |
| Structural engineer | Arup Group |
| Main contractors | Sir Robert McAlpine |
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Building details
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| Technical details | |
| Material | 4,500 tonnes of structural steel 2,000 tonnes of recycled Welsh slate (cladding) |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Floor area | 37,000 m2 (400,000 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 2 |
The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC), also known as Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru in Welsh, is a big arts center in Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales. It covers an area of about 4.7 acres. The first part of the building opened in November 2004. The second part opened in January 2009.
The WMC is the main place in Cardiff for large shows like opera, ballet, contemporary dance, and musicals. It has a large theater and two smaller halls. You can also find shops, bars, and restaurants there. The center is home to eight different arts groups, including Wales' national orchestra and opera company.
The main theater is called the Donald Gordon Theatre. It has 2,497 seats and is the second-largest stage in Europe. The BBC Hoddinott Hall can seat 350 people, and the Weston Studio Theatre seats 250.
In 2001, Lord Rowe-Beddoe became the head of the Wales Millennium Centre. Peter Swinburn is the current head.
Contents
How the Centre Began
The Cardiff Bay Opera House Idea
Before the Wales Millennium Centre, there was a plan to build the Cardiff Bay Opera House. This project aimed to create a permanent home for the Welsh National Opera. However, it did not get enough money from the Millennium Commission. This group gave out money from the UK's National Lottery.
A worldwide design competition was held, and 268 architects entered. Zaha Hadid, an architect from Iraq, won with her very modern design. But the Millennium Commission decided not to fund the opera house in December 1995. Some people thought it was because the government wanted to fund more popular projects, like the Millennium Stadium.
Creating the Wales Millennium Centre
After the opera house plan failed, a new idea came up. This new project would include more than just opera. It was designed to better show Welsh culture. The new name, Wales Millennium Centre, showed this change.
Getting money from the Welsh Assembly and the Millennium Commission took many years. Cardiff Council had to buy the land. This was because the previous owners wanted to build a shopping center there due to the delays. Big donations from a South African businessman named Donald Gordon helped a lot. A loan from the bank HSBC also boosted the project. Donald Gordon's £20 million donation was split between the Royal Opera House and the Wales Millennium Centre. This was one of the biggest private donations ever given to the arts in the UK.
Phase 1: Donald Gordon Theatre and Weston Studio
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Phase 1 of the Wales Millennium Centre is very large, covering 37,000 square meters. Besides the Donald Gordon Theatre and Weston Studio Theatre, it has six other rooms for events. The Urdd Gobaith Cymru, a Welsh youth movement, has a hostel here called the Urdd City Sleepover. It can host 153 people overnight.
The building also has rehearsal rooms and dance studios. The Welsh National Opera uses some of these spaces. The foyer has three bars and a restaurant called Ffresh. There are also free performances on the Glanfa Stage in the foyer during the day.
Design and Building
Jonathan Adams designed the WMC. He worked with Percy Thomas Architects. Arup Acoustics helped with the sound design. Jonathan Adams started drawing his ideas in 1998. By 1999, his design looked much like the building we see today.
Building started on February 25, 2002. Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd was the main builder. Many other companies helped with different parts. For example, Swansea Institute of Higher Education made the glass.
The architect wanted the building to show "Welshness" and be easy to recognize. The design uses materials important to Welsh history: slate, metal, wood, and glass. Many materials came from Wales. This included 1,350 tonnes of Welsh slate.
Slate
The outside of the building is covered in different colored slate from Welsh quarries. Thin windows are placed in the slate layers. This makes the building look like rock layers in sea cliffs. The purple slate came from Penrhyn Quarry. Blue slate came from Cwt y Bugail Quarry. Green slate was from Nantlle Valley. Grey slate came from Llechwedd quarry, and black slate from Corris Quarry.
Jonathan Adams, the architect, said he was inspired by cliffs near the sea in Wales. He wanted the building to look strong like those cliffs. He used waste slate from old quarries in North Wales. This slate was perfect for the building's walls.
Metal
The WMC's main feature is a bronze-colored dome. It covers the Donald Gordon Theatre. This dome is made of steel treated with copper oxide. It was designed to handle the weather by Cardiff Bay. It also looks better as it gets older.
Jonathan Adams chose this special steel. He said steelmaking was important in South Wales. He wanted the steel to have a rough look, like old industrial buildings.
Wood
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Inside and outside the building, you can see bands of hardwood. These line the walls, including the main Donald Gordon Theatre.
The architect wanted the inside to use natural materials too. The curving shapes of the galleries inside look like the outside. They are made from Welsh hardwoods like oak, ash, and birch. The design of the galleries is meant to look like the edge of a forest. This is because the edge of a forest often feels like a magical place, similar to the front of a theater stage.
Glass
Glass was used within the layers of slate. It is 15 cm thick. Students from Swansea Institute of Higher Education cut and put in the glass.
Jonathan Adams explained that the glass is stacked and melted together in a kiln. This forms solid blocks.
Calligraphy
On the front of the dome, above the main entrance, are two lines of writing. They are in both Welsh and English. The words were written by Welsh poet Gwyneth Lewis. These letters are actually windows in the upstairs bar areas. They light up at night.
Jonathan Adams said the idea for the words came from old Roman buildings. He wanted to show how Roman culture influenced Wales. He also wanted to celebrate Wales having two languages.
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Gwyneth Lewis said she wanted the words to match the building's design. The copper dome reminded her of old Welsh furnaces. The slate layers looked like horizons. She wanted to show that Cardiff is a place where Welsh art goes out to the world, and the world comes to Cardiff. The English words, "In These Stones Horizons Sing," are not just a translation. They have their own meaning about music and art.
In These Stones Horizons Sing is also a piece of music. Karl Jenkins composed it for the center's opening.
Opening Weekend Celebration
The building officially opened from November 26 to 28, 2004. Bryn Terfel, a famous singer, organized the celebration.
Day 1: November 26, 2004
The day started with a speech from Lord Rowe-Beddoe, the WMC chairman. Then, Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister, spoke. He said the new arts center was for all of Wales.
Janet Thickpenny, a young mother from Barry, officially opened the building. She was chosen because it was her 40th birthday. A special key was passed along a human chain to Janet. This was followed by music from Karl Jenkins' new work.
The evening had a concert called Cymru for the World. It celebrated five great Welsh artists. Many famous people gave tributes. The concert included singing, dancing, and performances by the Welsh National Opera.
Day 2: November 27, 2004
On the second day, the public could explore the building. Many people visited throughout the day. The day ended with a fireworks show in the Roald Dahl Plass.
Day 3: November 28, 2004
The final day began with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and the Prince of Wales. They met with the First Minister and Lord Rowe-Beddoe. They also unveiled a plaque. Many artists performed for the audience. The Welsh National Opera and the Kirov Ballet also performed. Bryn Terfel closed the celebrations.
2022/23 Updates: Cabaret and Bocs
In 2022 and 2023, the Centre was updated. A new immersive theater space called Bocs (Welsh for box) opened in August 2022. It shows 360° films and uses extended reality technology. In September 2022, a £4 million update was announced. This included a new area for cabaret shows. This area is simply called Cabaret and has 140 seats. It features drag, comedy, and other live acts. Cabaret opened in February 2023.
Awards Won
The Wales Millennium Centre has won several awards:
- 2005 Gold Medal for Architecture
- 2005 RIBA Wales award
- 2005 MIPIM Awards (Hotels & Tourism resorts)
- Sustainability and Environmental Impact award from the British Institute of Facilities Management
- 2005 Interior of the Year award from FX
Phase 2: BBC Hoddinott Hall and Grace Williams Studio
Phase 2 of the Wales Millennium Centre is home to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW). It also houses the BBC National Chorus of Wales. BBC NOW moved here from their old studio in Llandaff. Phase 2 opened on January 22, 2009, with a concert by BBC NOW.
Phase 2 includes the BBC Hoddinott Hall, which seats 350 people. It is named after the Welsh composer Alun Hoddinott. There is also the Grace Williams Studio, named after another Welsh composer, Grace Williams. This studio is used for education and community work. Phase 2 also has practice rooms, a music library, and offices.
Design and Building
The original plans for the WMC included a concert hall. But the first phase did not have one. Space was left to build it later. Building on Phase 2 started in April 2007. It was designed to fit with the WMC's curved slate front. The upper part is made of timber.
Tim Green and Keith Vince from Capita Architecture designed Phase 2. Arup Acoustics again helped with the sound design. Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd was the main builder again.
Tim Green said the outside of Phase 2 matches Phase 1. But the inside has its own style, like a traditional Welsh chapel. He said the wood inside reminds him of Victorian chapels.
Building finished in September 2008. Then, BBC Wales started setting up the inside of the Hoddinott Hall. The Grace Williams Studio is also part of Phase 2. It has 60 seats and is used for workshops and rehearsals.
Opening Festival
To celebrate the opening of the BBC Hoddinott Hall, a concert was held on January 22, 2009. This was part of an Opening Festival that lasted until February 1, 2009. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales performed. The Prince of Wales officially opened the BBC Hoddinott Hall on January 31, 2009.
Awards Won
- Engineering Excellence Award from the Association for Consultancy and Engineering.
- 2009 Special Award: Best Use of Panel Products from the Wood Awards.
Groups Based at the Centre
The Wales Millennium Centre is home to nine different arts organizations:
- Literature Wales: This group promotes Welsh literature and supports writers.
- National Dance Company Wales: This is a dance company, previously known as Diversions.
- Hijinx Theatre: A theater company that works with the community.
- Two Rhythms: This group provides educational therapies for people with disabilities and autism.
- Tŷ Cerdd: A music center for musicians, including the Welsh Music Information Centre.
- Urdd Gobaith Cymru: A Welsh language youth movement.
- Welsh National Opera: An opera company that tours internationally.
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales: The only professional national symphony orchestra for Wales.
- Arts Council of Wales: This group helps fund and develop the arts in Wales.
Funding and New Look
The first part of the project cost £106.2 million. The National Lottery gave £31.7 million. The National Assembly for Wales gave £37 million. The Arts Council of Wales donated £10.4 million. Donald Gordon, a private investor, gave £20 million. The WMC also got a £13.5 million loan from HSBC. Other money came from a deal with the Principality Building Society.
In November 2007, the National Assembly for Wales announced it would pay off the £13.5 million loan from HSBC. They also increased their yearly funding to the WMC.
Phase 2 of the project cost about £18 million. The BBC does not own the building. They lease it for 25 years from Lime Property Fund.
In 2006, the WMC decided to update its brand. A local Cardiff company, Sweet, won the project. They created a new logo and redesigned marketing materials.
See also
In Spanish: Centro del Milenio de Gales para niños
