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Nightingale Architect reflects best architectural design in Wales

22 September 2009

Nightingale Associates architect, Richard Golledge’s “protective” buildings have been recognised as best in Wales for the Reflecting Wales 09:09 exhibition.

Nightingale Associates’ Cardiff studio architect, Richard Golledge, has been selected as one of nine emerging architectural designers who represent the best architectural design in Wales. Richard’s belief in creating buildings that protect and metaphorically ‘cwtch’ (Welsh: to hug) its occupants was recognised by the Reflecting Wales 09:09 judges who praised Richard’s ability to balance the technical with the ‘poetic’ in his designs.

The Reflecting Wales 09:09 exhibition - part of the Cardiff Design Festival - is an initiative that aims to ‘highlight nine young / emerging architectural designers who exhibit the potential to make a significant impact on design standards in our homes, working environments and the quality of places - cities, towns, villages and rural areas - in the decades to come’.

Entrants were invited to submit a portfolio of three projects, which combined theory and practice surrounding a theme of ‘place’. Richard submitted his designs of the Day Surgery Unit, Singleton Hospital; the Pumphouse, Llanelli and the Mortuary at West Wales General Hospital (WWGH), which is due on site in 2010. The judges were particularly interested in his design of the Mortuary.

“The jury commented that I managed to balance the technical demands of creating workable healthcare buildings, but at the same time have created ‘poetic’ places for staff and patients to be, which they felt is often neglected in healthcare architecture.

“My work is also influenced by the ideas of creating light and shade and garden spaces to create therapeutic environments. Ultimately, I want to create buildings that enhance the built environment in the wider context and uplift people when they see them and are within them.”

Richard Golledge, Architect, Nightingale Associates

Underlying his work is a notion of order and clarity, developing a calm and reassuring language of architecture that is specific to site location and building use. Richard’s work in healthcare architecture sets out to address anxiety often felt by patients and those visiting. In all schemes he sets out to create a building that generates places or views which produce a therapeutic experience, specifically the notion of garden court. These garden courts act in several ways, to bring natural light and movement (though the movement of plants in the wind with sunlight and shadows), views out and escapism for occupants. The courtyard garden approach is also symbolic of Richard’s belief of creating buildings that protect; that metaphorically ‘cwtch’ the occupants.

Richard feels strongly about designing buildings in Wales, for Wales, in particular buildings that will be of social benefit to those who use them. It is for this reason that he joined the Cardiff office of Nightingale Associates in September 2004. Predominately a healthcare practice when he joined, Nightingale Associates enabled Richard to fulfil his ambitions to make a positive impact on the quality of architecture in Wales.

Richard will showcase his work in an exhibition held at Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff, which will be run from 9 October 2009 to 4 November 2009, with a private viewing held on 8 October 2009. The exhibition coincides with a design symposium hosted by the DCfW and WSA to be held on Friday 9 October 2009, at the former National Westminster Bank, Bute Street, Cardiff. The exhibition was jointly organised by Design Commission for Wales, Welsh School of Architecture and UWIC’s Cardiff School of Art & Design and is supported by the Royal Society of Architects in Wales.

Other exhibitors

Jury panel