Sapphire Tower, Customhouse Street, 80-100m, "proposed"

Hi there, first post for me!

This evening I came across this, a proposal (?) for a new skyscraper in the city centre.

http://socratesarchitects.com/portfolio ... ial-tower/

It appears to be within the 80-100m range, perhaps slightly taller, but the render doesn't give a good idea of scale.

Now, before I got overly excited I had a snoop through the rest of the site and this is the same "architect" who put forward that tower next to the Senedd but interestingly, as hinted above, this particular building is listed as "proposed". Perhaps tellingly, I can't find any related information except for on that website (which I'd have a little more faith in had they got the name of the proposed location correct). The website also contains a new "speculative design" of the 92m tower at CS, prospectively called "The Blades".

Does anybody have any additional info or is this all just pie in the sky?

Given that they can't even get the name of the adjacent hotel correct?

Hi neukreuz - and welcome to the forum, you're joining us takes our numbers to 120! chuffed with that - only another 880 to go for my target!!

Anyway - I think pie in the sky is what this is! This little bit of land was discussed before on here and fair play to fellow poster Nick he's put something there!! (great stuff!) It's only a small area so it looks like the 'proposal' is for a structure that is a little wider in the middle - Cardiff's angular ghurkin! Look forward to seeing this in the echo sometime soon!!! It will be interesting to see if anything is ever built on this land - sleeperztwo is my guess!!

I think the one on Custom House street is just a concept design, like the one in Assembly Square. I think the guy behind that firm sometimes posts on here and admits as much?

But the Blades in Central Square have been publicised and are part of the project as far as I know. I think there was a WalesOnline article on it a few weeks ago.

I think the one on Custom House street is just a concept design, like the one in Assembly Square. I think the guy behind that firm sometimes posts on here and admits as much?

But the Blades in Central Square have been publicised and are part of the project as far as I know. I think there was a WalesOnline article on it a few weeks ago.

It's also called Customs House Road on the website along with Radisson's Blu Hotel!!

It's on the corner of custom house street, bute street and hope street

But the Blades in Central Square have been publicised and are part of the project as far as I know. I think there was a WalesOnline article on it a few weeks ago.

Indeed there was.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/could-cardiffs-new-tallest-building-8823695

Here is my pie in the sky project:

"The Golden Towers Gay Apartment Complex"
Using advanced construction techniques the garde 2 listed Pub will not be damaged but instead enhanced.
The bar will become the apartment reception.
Over 40 floors of city centre condos with piped karaoke in every apartment.



I'll e-mail it to the Echo they will most likely run a story on it.

Gay tenants or not, a 40 floor building with piped karaoke would have a serious suicide problem!

I should have known that the "Sapphire Tower" was too good to be true, but I get the feeling that if it was built, in some wonderful fantasy land, it would jar horribly with the *ahem* economical-looking high-rises next door. Cardiff really does need to add height to its city centre skyline, though. It looks good when viewed from the West in particular, but the mass of 50-70m buildings are starting to look bulky.

Thanks for the warm welcome by the way, Paul. I've been a reader of the forum for years but I felt there was no time like the present to jump in and start posting.

I am so excited by Golden Towers! It's a transformational scheme for the city centre and I really think this one will come off. The sheer design quality and amount of thought that's gone into it suggests this is no 'Glass Needle' or 'Bayscape'.

Any news on when work is due to start?