Centre for Student Life

The Centre for Student Life is now open Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 22:00 and Saturday to Sunday, 10.00 - 20.00.

The Centre for Student Life is an iconic student building at the heart of the University.

The Centre for Student Life is a service-led project delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union and is part of the biggest campus upgrade in a generation. It is the fruition of a successful and dynamic partnership that the University is proud to enjoy with its student body.

The new building is home to the University's Student Life services including support with study, health and wellbeing, preparing for the future, managing money and living in Cardiff. It will also increase links with the Students’ Union and enhance the services already provided there.

In brief

Enabling work begins: Early 2018
Work completed: October 2021
Public realm works due to be completed: March 2022
Architect: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Construction contractor: BAM Construction
Project Manager: AECOM
Cost Manager: Currie & Brown

The Centre for Student Life is part of our commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience and will transform the way we provide student support services. Our enhanced services will ensure our students feel supported to succeed throughout their student journey, from interested applicant to proud Cardiff University Alumni.

As part of the transformation, we’re developing 24 hour online services and extended opening hours to ensure greater accessibly for students including those based at Heath Park, our distance learners and all those on placement or study abroad.

Latest updates

Date	Planned activity
October 2021	The Centre for Student Life will open for teaching on Monday 4 October 2021. Student Life services will continue to be available online until Monday 11 October 2021.
September 2021	Three undergraduates will see their artwork brought to life as large-scale vinyl installations when the Centre for Student Life opens. The students submitted their designs to a competition launched in March 2021 to find original artwork for the new Park Place landmark due to open on 4 October 2021. The winners, final year students Shreshth Goel, Lizzie Eves and Isaac Slater, designed their entries for specific spaces in the building. Find out more about the rationale behind their artwork and get a sneak peek of their designs.
January 2021	From January the number of car parking spaces in Main Building car park will temporarily decrease to accommodate a welfare cabin for construction staff working at the Centre for Student Life. 24 spaces (from a total of 120 spaces) will be made available for a welfare cabin allowing additional construction workers on to the Centre for Student Life site while adhering to the government’s coronavirus (COVD-19) guidelines. This will ensure that the pandemic has a minimal effect on the completion date of the building, which is due to be this summer. Main Building car park will be closed to allow for the delivery of these cabins on Monday 4 January to Monday 11 January 2021 inclusive. Currently there is capacity at Colum Drive car park which is a short five- to ten-minute walk from Main Building. Cathays Park car parks are temporarily available to all Cathays Park staff working on campus on a first come first served basis at no cost. Find out more about car parking at Cathays Park and view a map of University car parks
October 2020	A new video to mark the virtual topping out of the Centre for Student Life shows how far the construction of this building, set to transform Cardiff’s civic centre, has come. Watch new Centre for Student Life video
October 2020	Park Place in Cardiff will be closed to traffic both ways between 06:00 on Saturday 17 October until 20:00 on Sunday 18 October. The road, which passes Cardiff University Main Building in the city centre, is being shut to allow a tower crane to be removed from the Centre for Student Life construction site. Park Place will be closed between Costa Coffee, opposite Main Building, and Cardiff University Day Nursery to the south. Cathays Lane, accessed by Costa Coffee, will also be closed during the day (from 07:00 to 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday) but open after 19:00 each night. The pavement on the Main Building/ University side of Park Place will remain open to pedestrians throughout.
September 2020	Cardiff University have installed a new permanent lift at the Park Place entrance to the Students’ Union. The lift is awaiting full safety testing before it can be used. In the interim, visitors who need lift access to the building should head to the Senghennydd Road entrance until further notice. If any student needs assistance getting from Park Place to Senghennyd Road (and vice versa) you can request a taxi by contacting the Students’ Union (@cardiffstudents - Tel 029 2078 1400). Anyone with concerns about entering the building during this time can also contact us.
May 2020	Park Place in Cardiff will be closed to traffic both ways between 06:00 on Saturday 30 May until 18:00 on Sunday 31 May. The road, which passes Cardiff University Main Building in the city centre, is being shut to allow a tower crane to be removed from the Centre for Student Life construction site. Park Place will be closed between Costa Coffee, opposite Main Building, and Cardiff University Day Nursery to the south. Cathays Lane, accessed by Costa Coffee, will also be closed during the day (from 07:00 to 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday) but open after 19:00 each night. The pavement on the Main Building/ University side of Park Place will remain open to pedestrians throughout. BAM Construction is continuing work on the Centre for Student Life on Park Place, but will be protecting their workforce on site by following new operating guidelines defined by the government and the construction industry.
November 2019	Work to remove the Students’ Union steps will begin. The building will remain open. Access to the Students’ Union from Park Place will still be possible via a new temporary entrance at the end of the lane that runs parallel with Cathays station (by Costa Coffee) and the rail tracks. From 18-30 November, there will be no lift access from Park Place, but lifts on the Senghennydd Road side of the Students’ Union will operate as usual. Please contact the Students’ Union (@cardiffstudents - StudentsUnion@Cardiff.ac.uk - Tel +44 (0) 29 2078 1400) if you have concerns about entering the building during this time. The new lift on Park Place is expected to operate from 30 November and will be accessible via the temporary entrance on Park Place. The new Students' Union access arrangements will be in place until February 2021.
April 2019 onwards	Construction of concrete frame

Disruption

The most common nuisance generated by construction is dust and noise. It can never be avoided, but it can be controlled by damping down, using hoarding and tarpaulins. As the project starts to take shape, we’d like to thank you for your patience.

Safety is of utmost importance. The construction company has designed the site to suit the surroundings and ensure effective segregation of construction and the University environment. A member of the site team is responsible for working closely with the University to ensure the safety of staff, students and visitors.

Accessibility

The entrance to Cathays train station will remain open throughout the construction period.

Access to the Students' Union from Park Place will remain open throughout the construction programme. Senghennydd Road will be open as usual.

The Centre for Student Life has been designed with sustainability in mind. It will focus on reducing energy consumption, supplying energy efficiently, and where possible, using renewable technology to keep the building’s carbon footprint to a minimum. Some of the design features include photovoltaic cells, the use of natural ventilation, a green roof and energy efficient lighting.

The building will be assessed under Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and is on track to achieve a BREEAM Excellent score. BREEAM measures sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology.