Manalo & White transforms North Wales church into Nyth youth arts centre
London-based architecture studio Manalo & White has converted a 19th-century church into a youth arts centre for Welsh-language theatre company Frân Wen in Bangor, north Wales.
Called Nyth (meaning nest in Welsh), the centre was designed to be used by young people in the local community for rehearsals, performances, scriptwriting and technical disciplines.
Originally built in 1864, St Mary's Church was closed in 2014 after 150 years of use. Manalo & White's approach focused on preserving the character of the Grade II-listed Victorian church while improving accessibility and connection with the surrounding area.
"Nyth was conceived not just as a building but a civic catalyst, a place to empower young people, revitalise a long-neglected landmark, and re-establish a cultural presence at the heart of Bangor," Manalo & White associate director Takuya Oura told Dezeen.
One of the most significant interventions was the excavation of the first three bays of the church's former undercroft.
This allows for a step-free access point without the need for a ramp, and also provides additional space for a meeting room, green room, toilets and a lift up to the floor above.
A studio space is also housed in the former undercroft, with a screen for presentations and workshops added alongside black drapes that wrap around the exposed stone walls.
At the centre of the building, the nave and aisles of the old church have been turned into a large open space for rehearsals and performances.
A steel-framed mezzanine was added to the main hall, creating multiple levels for performances.
Functional elements were discreetly integrated, with a storage area neatly concealed behind large black drapes and acoustic wall panels designed to resemble organ pipes added to optimise sound quality.
In the former south aisle, a kitchen provides a quiet spot for breaks and doubles as a green room during performances.
Materials were repurposed wherever possible, including organ pipes, ceramic tiles and stones from demolished walls. Meanwhile, 90 per cent of the church's wooden pews were repurposed as wall panelling, doors and bespoke joinery.
In combination with repurposed materials, the studio applied a raw palette of natural stone, sanded lime plaster, concrete and galvanised metal.
"Throughout, the team prioritised heritage-led reuse over replacement," Oura said. "Materials were carefully chosen for their low environmental impact, durability and local relevance."
"Where new materials were introduced, they were often locally sourced, drawing on North Wales' rich building traditions, from hydraulic lime to timber finishes."
Contributing to the project's sustainability targets, energy is provided via air-source heat pumps, new wood fibre insulation was inserted between visible rafters, and the studio opted to rely on a natural ventilation system.
"Most of the building is naturally ventilated, including the main performance space, where fresh air enters from the undercroft and exits through discreet roof openings," Oura explained.
"Natural ventilation and sound insulation are often in tension, but the team resolved this through bespoke acoustic chambers lined with sound-absorbing materials, enabling unrestricted creative use of the space without disrupting the neighbours."
The studio's approach was guided by a series of workshops with the young people who would ultimately use the building. Priorities included the creation of an inclusive, robust space for creativity, as well as increased connection to local nature.
In line with this idea, Manalo & White worked with ecologists and local landscape designers to increase biodiversity and improve the building's relationship with its surrounding environment.
This involved adding plant beds with local flowers and trees, installing bat and bird boxes, and designing a rainwater-harvested garden for open-air rehearsals and community events.
Other Welsh architecture projects featured on Dezeen include a traditional stone farmhouse bookended with larch-clad extensions and a temporary Maggie's Centre in Cardiff with a ridged roofline.
The photography is by Morgan O'Donovan unless otherwise stated.
Project credits:
Architects: Manalo & White Architects
Project manager: SP Projects
Contractor: Grosvenor Construction
Structural engineer: EngineersHRW
Quantity surveyor: Pulse Consult
M&E: Collaborate + Create
Theatre consultant: Plann
Access consultant: Access Included
Landscape consultant: Tirlun Barr
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