Ysgol Pen Rhos is an inspiring example of how architecture can regenerate places, uplift communities and future-proof education. Recognised nationally for both sustainability and social value, the project continues to make a meaningful impact.
Completed in 2018, the school transformed a previously contaminated and vandalised brownfield site into a vibrant, dual-stream primary school for 500 pupils.
The façade materials selected respond sensitively to context, brickwork and pitched roofs reflect local terrace housing, combined with modern timber and metal cladding to give the school its own distinct identity. The use of timber also helps reduce embodied carbon and provides a warm, natural finish. Seven years on, the external envelope has weathered exceptionally well in its exposed coastal location and looks as good as the day it was handed over.
Our landscape strategy brings the site to life with native planting, swales, and wide stretches of wild grass that now surround the school, these are now fully mature and act as a rich natural habitat for biodiversity to thrive. The hard and soft play zones were carefully designed with varied ground treatments and planting pockets, helping to support both structured play and informal social interaction. These areas encourage free exploration, sensory engagement, and creative outdoor learning. Shaded play zones and adaptable terraces provide further opportunities for outdoor learning and social interaction.
The school has also recently collaborated with Cardiff University’s ‘Pharma-Bees’ project, which has led to the installation of hives onsite, creating a wildflower corridor and helps to educate pupils about pollinators, medicines, and well-being.
Recently Mike Edwards, HLM Technical Director visited the school and noted “From the outdoor seating on the first-floor terrace to the informal green spaces, the facilities remain in excellent condition and both spaces are used daily as places to read, gather and play. What began as a neglected brownfield site is now a thriving part of Llanelli’s educational and social infrastructure, showing the lasting value of carefully thought-out regenerative design”
