Why don't we give Zach and Carlos their own thread where they can angrily shake their walking sticks at Welsh speakers and threaten to set the dogs on them?

Much of the Scaffolding has now been taken off the Media Centre

What fantastic architecture, Cardiff's Pompidou Centre me thinks

The bits that are designed to be eye catching are still under scaffolding, so lets give it a little longer before we put the boot in.

And don't forget that it is designed to be part of a very urban grid-based development. It looks a bit underwhelming on its own because its out there on its own. Eventually it will be just one of many buildings along the dockfront. I actually quite like its low-key nature. It actually looks a little like a converted old brick building in the picture (probably looks too shiny and new in real life for that to be the case thought).

I actually think it looks ok in the flesh. Its not going to win awards but it looks a decent enough build and the finish quality is good enough for what it is.

As Cambo says, its like an old converted warehouse

I think it is good to look ok. Looking at the poster on the fence in front of it it the long side will be facing another similar height building so it wont really be seen. However, the ends are open so there going to be quite sculptural.

The yellow cladding is going to be permanent is it?!? It's purple cladding on the other side IIRC.

It's better than I thought it would be. It does, as has been said above, have the look of a converted warehouse about it. Considering where in the city it is I like the fact that they've done that.

I do hope they get on with the second building and we see some plans for further development but I have a feeling that they are holding out for the BBC Wales relocation. I don't blame them for that but worry that this building could be left all on it's own for a while, which would be a shame.

Does the BBC really want to move itself to such an obscure location? It's 20 minutes walk near enough from Central station.

''Do you know what, i actualy like it!...its much better than i thought and once the landscaping is done and other buildings go up around it i think its gonna be a good landmark...cant help but think that it could have easily been TWICE as high though, especially since the demand for office space there is obviously gonna be huge''

Barden likes it

Maximum height? really? that may be true but if it is it would be a bit silly, just less than a mile or so away there are apartment towers in the bay that a much higher so thinking about it maybe it is wrong?....be good toknow for sure though..

I wonder if it's been agreed with the BBC studio's that nothing goes over a certain height within direct line and a given distance of the studios, to prevent it noticeably changing the skyline behind the sets.

I imagine Paddy Power would be straight in there, with a 100 foot advertisement over the roof of the casualty hospital, given half a chance.

Actually that would make a lot of sense yes, never thought of that TB honest...

Nothing major to report but:

1) A sign has gone up to sell the small plot of land where the Tube visitor centre used to stand (0.22 acres).

2) I think that they might be erecting permanent railings around along the Roath basin dock wall (Porth Teigr side). They are certainly creating a daily racket with some sort of pneumatic drill activity by the wall- so I'm guessing it's railings.

3) They have started to create a surface car park just behind the 'lock keepers cottage' ie on the left hand side as you walk over the bridge (Waterguard behind you).

4) They are still landscaping the area on the right as you go over the bridge (if this is a car park (as I had thought it was) then it's going to be the most luxuriously landscaped car park in Cardiff).There are small stone features contained within.This can't just be a car park, I must have it wrong.

5) They are attaching the external fittings to the front flank of the Media Centre building - it will be interesting to monitor progress on this one.

I thought there had been some kind of plan for a play area just over the bridge, with mini-golf or something similar. So the nicely-landscaped car park could be that. But I could be wrong.

The nicely landscaped area you think might be a car park was a bit of a discussion for us, we decided that there wasn't enough room between the trees and stone things to maneuver a car so is either the play area (unlikley as its too nice) or most likely just a landscaped area.

On their website its a landscaped park area. Cant believe im visiting this site in the philipines lol

New details like the canopy and wooden sections are installed

And here are some pictures from last weekend:



and

I really do like the end of the building. The sides are ok although as Cambo says these buildings are designed to be ultimately viewed end on

I really like the ends, and I actually think the building as a whole is pretty good - about as good as an office block can look anyway

It's bloody lovely actually.

I'm really curious about a couple of things with this development, particularly now this building is close to being finished.

The first is tenant related. Going back quite a while I'd read that they had quite a bit of interest in people taking space, but that was quite a while ago and I've not heard anything since on any space at all being taken.

The second thing is related. Interest was meant to be so strong in this first building that they were already considering a second, but this has gone very quiet so I'm assuming the apparent interest was either pure fiction or it evaporated, which means there are no plans for a second building any time soon.

Does anyone have any information ?

Yes, I like it. My questions are: how long will it be on its own (as it is intended to be one of several similar buildings), and, by the time other buildings are being built will the continuity of design still be retained, or, like Callaghan Sq, will they get a few buildings in and then decide to change the style thus losing the continuity (as is the case with the proposed new build that may or may not happen).

Still, good start.

on my run around the bay I've noticed that they have started on the public realm (footpaths and so on) on the other side of the water opposite Number 3 and Atradius (is it Bute Dock). The patch of land next to the water by the funky red bridge is going to be a children's play area and opposite is going to be a temporary (2 years) surface car park.

NB I also think the Media/Design centre looks much better close up. the brickwork is much better than any of the rendered new builds we have seen and hopefully igloo will keep up the standard with the rest. it really does look like a converted warehouse rather than a new build

Remember the old black footbridge that first gave access to the barrage from Mermaid quay end, its now been placed across the dock in the south west corner of Roath dock to link up their footpaths they have been building. Saw a big crane there this morning.

I'm not sure if this had been mentioned before but the plot of land where the 'Tube' visitor centre stood has been on sale for a few monrths now.

http://www2.coark.com/images/uploads/Harbour_Drive_Particulars_Oct_2013.pdf

I'm guessing sort of A3 use is the most likely development here - but it's a key site and the council (who I presume are the current owners) need to get the right developer.

How is the landscaping works going on around here? Is the car park open? Is the old new bridge in action yet? Have they finished the waterside landscaped area?

Is the new building itself looking finished yet?

All is finished over there, when HMS Dragon came in i walked around there (though it wasnt open) and a security guard said they were just waiting to hand it over to the council but wasnt sure when this would be.

The car park did open on the very weekend that the warship was visiting but was not open when I cycled past a few days later.

The paved walkways appear to be as good as finished and ready to accept pedestrians.

Unfortunately, most of the recently planted semi-mature pine trees on the landscaped patch (close to the Doctor Who exhibition centre) appear to have failed to adapt and are dying. There are substantial brown sections on nearly all of them .

big yellow signs with the words 'glow xxxx' have appeared all around the new developdment, advertising the soon to be completed path.

I have to say in the summer evening sun the colours down their looked very vivid and quite attractive

big yellow signs with the words 'glow xxxx' have appeared all around the new developdment, advertising the soon to be completed path.

I have to say in the summer evening sun the colours down their looked very vivid and quite attractive