About the Project

Plaza Redevelopment, Neath

Redevelopment of grade II-listed cinema as a community hub, completed in 101 weeks.

On a grade II-listed Art Deco cinema that had lain derelict for 20 years, Kiran Giri overcame a potentially toxic cocktail of challenges.

A 40ft hole had developed in the asbestos sheet roof, allowing water to cascade down to the ground floor, saturating plaster and decorative coving, damaging the reinforced concrete structure and rotting the timber joinery, as well as leaving elements that were to be retained perpetually underwater.

The super-tight site filled the entire boundary of the development, with residential buildings alongside. The partial demolition of the concrete frame had to be carried out within the building footprint, temporary works were not allowed to be fixed into the existing structure, and the faience tile facade was highly sensitive to movement and vibration. Kiran led a precision demolition operation before threading steels back through the facade retention scheme to stabilise the remaining concrete structure and connecting up a new steel frame.

He managed these technical complexities with smooth professionalism backed by effective communication. He protected the budget by rationalising services and removing elements that could be financed by non-construction funding streams. He also enhanced the project with a more robust design and sleeker look, introducing soldier courses of Corium brick slips for column facade projections that also cut costs by £80,000.

Kiran achieved outstanding quality by, among other things, bringing in multiple conservators to restore the original feature hardwood doors, corroded steel-framed windows, faience tiles and terrazzo flooring. The shopfront hardwood window frames were replicated, as were the steel downstand canopy and celebrated PLAZA sign.