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The summit of Snowdon must be one of the most challenging construction sites, and the redevelopment of Hafod Eryri, the visitor centre and rail terminus there, was not a job for the faint hearted. By definition a remote location, with access limited to foot, helicopter, or the rack and pinion railway, there is no mains services to the site. The construction site itself was little bigger than the footprint of the new building.
Perhaps the most original feature of the project, therefore, was the trial erection of the complete steel frame and main cladding elements at the Corus factory in Deeside.
The client was clear that the new building should be constructed from local materials, be sustainable, and showcase the history, poetry and folklore of the mountain. Granite cladding was chosen to match the indigenous stone found at the summit, and more than 60 per cent of the materials and labour were sourced from Wales.
Hafod Eryri was completed on budget and without incident: a notable achievement in such an inherently challenging environment.
"A great construction project which overcame significant technical difficulties."