Welsh architecture practice Dennis Hellyar Architects has completed the £30m (€35.7m) Sanatorium Road redevelopment in Canton, Cardiff, converting a former hospital brownfield site into 106 energy-efficient homes after seven years of design and delivery work. Business News Wales reported that the project, carried out on behalf of housing association Hafod by developer Lovell, was delivered in partnership with Cardiff City Council and the Welsh Government.

Business News Wales noted that the scheme includes a mix of family homes and apartments, with bespoke accommodation for adults with additional support needs, set around communal green space and a sensory garden, with connections to local streets and cycleways.

Dennis Hellyar, principal of Dennis Hellyar Architects, said the practice's philosophy is to never deal simply in numbers and units, but to take a broader view and extract the most from any development in terms of design and place-making, adding that the aim was for Sanatorium Road to be a neighbourhood that stands the test of time.

The design was guided by the RIBA's 10 Characteristics of Places where People want to Live and the Placemaking Wales Charter, informing decisions on building orientation, rainwater management, and materiality, including the use of high-quality brick, metal balconies, and varied cladding details.

Ali Salter, director of development at Hafod, said the project demonstrates how affordable homes can be high-quality, attractive, and low-carbon, adding that the placemaking approach ensures homes contribute to vibrant, well-connected communities.

Anthony Vagges, regional managing director at Lovell, described the development as a great example of how collaborative partnership working can benefit communities, noting that the team applied decades of experience to building a sustainable neighbourhood on the brownfield site, with construction commencing in late 2023.

View the full report on the Sanatorium Road development and its design approach.