The Factory is a thriving 300 capacity (standing) venue which attracts a host of exciting live music events all year round. In early 2011 this forward thinking and progressive charity purchased the Iconic Welsh Hills Works Building, with the aim to develop it as a cultural hub. The first stage was to develop the 3 arches space as a Live Music Venue and multipurpose hall. The factory music venue opened its doors in Sept 2011 and has hosted touring bands, international acts, along with giving opportunities for local emerging talent to play at the Rhondda Valleys only professional dedicated live music venue.
Valleys Kids aim to develop the rest of the building which has a large open plan office, meeting rooms, and editing suites as a creative hub where individuals and/or fledgling business can rent spaces at rates sympathetic with those starting out and trying to break into the creative industries.
Knox & Wells provided full site management, labour and materials to provide an Art Studio located in the roof apex directly above the offices.
Originally constructed with timber trusses, single layer of timber floor boards, and mixture off wall panels, mix match of materials, it was not suited for an art gallery. As a result this also caused problems with sound transfer both ways, meetings could be heard, making the space unusable at times. Our brief was primarily to reduce the sound transfer between areas, and try and improve the look of the studio. We also supplied and fitted a new stair lift from the ground floor to the loft art studio. The studio was encapsulated with sound reducing materials, i.e. acoustic matts/insulation and clad the floor and walls in timber T&G.
We also build a bespoke reception counter and installed a new lighting system, suitable to display artwork. Additional works included an alteration to the existing steel handrail to allow the installation of the new stair lift. Whilst on site we also undertook some repairs to partitions in the basement, obtained a 20litre donation of satin varnish from our local decorators and supplied them with a further donation of chairs/tables/storage units from the Old Library Cardiff (as part of a recent project undertaken for Cardiff Council through our existing Building Framework), approximately worth over £5k.
“As we are coming to the end of the work your team has undertaken at the Factory, I just wanted to send you a quick email to say an enormous thank you for everything. Your project Manager, Nigel King, has been absolutely fantastic, ensuring everything has been done to such high standards and all our wishes and desires have been met. We have hardly noticed the team whilst they have been in the building as they have been totally professional, quiet and tidy. John, Jim and Shaun have been friendly, co-operative and a pleasure to have on site. The gallery space is beautiful and promises to be the ultimate in gallery offerings in Wales – we are so proud of the transformation.”