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Eagles Meadow Wrexham is a 225,000 sq. ft mixed use scheme won by Engle in a council sponsored competition, a significant commercial development on the edge of Wrexham Town Centre, adjacent to the Conservation Area. The scheme is designed around a new urban thoroughfare leading towards St. Giles Church, with its tower as the focal point. A terraced urban park makes a virtue out of the fall across the site. It is a significant development which propelled Wrexham from 187th to 80th on the list of top UK retail destinations.
The development forms an extension to Wrexham’s main shopping street and advantage has been taken of a two storey level difference down into the site. The new plaza is elevated above two floors of parking to link with the High Street.
The design pays respect to the magnificent St Giles Church by setting the axis of the mall to focus views back to the church tower.
Continuing down the open mall to Debenhams the change in site levels is again used to advantage by opening up to the south.
A cascading water feature created from local Welsh slate provides a second dramatic focus for the Debenhams anchor store from the southern approach.
The use of naturally riven slate in feature walling and the landscaping brings a local and familiar material to the urban realm.
The main anchors are Debenhams, M&S, Tenpin Bowling and Odeon Cinemas with 35 other retail and restaurant units.
Above the retail at the western end are two blocks of apartments totalling 48 units. A stepping façade creates residential terraces with views to the church and to the hills beyond.
Images by Alastair Paterson
7 Comments
its a FANTASTIC building!!
An excellent innovative design
Use of natural materials on facades looks brilliant
Quite simply the worst shopping development ever. The principle way in is via a very bouncy suspension bridge. I often amuse myself watching people who either cannot face going across it or when on it and it begins to wildly bounce screem and can’t wait to get off. The shopping centre consists of two interlinked circles that are paved in the cheapest stone I think is commercially available (Take a look at Liverpool 1 for quality). In these circles is nothing, totally tedious. Around the edge is the same old tiresome highsteet names that unfortunately have moved out of Wrexham town centre making it a ghost town. In love the laughable water feature and the the totally inadequate seating. Atrocious. If you like this then I feel sorry for you.
You sound like someone who works on the Liverpool 1 project. Liverpool 1 was a monstrosity with nothing going for it. Of course, if you count spending 10x what it cost to build Eagles Meadow economical, but it does not make financial sense. I’m sure if the developers had a budget of 10x what they had, I am sure a lot more improvements could have been added. But hey, live in the real world where budgets are limited.
Following the logic of your argument if Eagles Meadow had spend 10x as much then would they not end up with ‘a monstrosity with nothing going for it.’?.
Is great Architecture a funcrtion of Budget or design?
To answer the charge, I have nothing to do with Liverpool 1, I just happen to work in Wrexham and Liverpool.
If you want a PR slant on things then read Rachels comment . I can image it comming straight out of a brouchure.
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This is a brilliant development. The curved suspension bridge is an inspired design whilst the large open circular areas give a sense of space – plenty of room for crowds of shoppers and the occasional special event. The use of natural materials like local slate compliments the modern feel of glass, tiling and the wonderful vertical timber facade. The water feature is a delight and the old church forms a focal point at one end of the development.
Several new store names have come to Wrexham to inhabit the shops, bringing jobs and more choice for local people who now don’t have to travel so far for quality. The cinema and bowling alley add extra enjoyment for the people of Wrexham and surrounding areas.