As architects, we often talk about how our work shapes lives. But every now and again, a project comes along that doesn’t just shape lives — it strengthens communities. Designing the new home for the East Cardiff Muslim Centre (ECMC) has been one such project: rooted in purpose, fuelled by vision, and shaped by deep community engagement.

Founded in 2016, ECMC began as a grassroots initiative in the old St Mellons Enterprise Centre. What started as a modest prayer and community space quickly evolved into a vibrant hub of support, education, and outreach. In 2019, ECMC purchased the former St Mellons Police Station — a building that carried history and presence — and began planning its transformation into a permanent base for their growing ambitions.

A Vision Grounded in Faith and Inclusivity

From the outset, ECMC’s brief was clear and inspiring: to design a centre that would become a beacon for East Cardiff — a welcoming, inclusive space shaped by Islamic values of cooperation, social welfare, and community cohesion.

Image: Main Street Elevation

It needed to be more than just a place of worship — it had to reflect the diverse needs of the wider community. The new ECMC building would house refugee support services, medical advisory sessions, adult education, youth groups, fitness classes for women, coffee mornings, and early years groups for parents and toddlers. Each function required thoughtful design, flexibility, and an emphasis on dignity and accessibility.

A Contemporary and Sustainable Response

The architectural response had to respect both the spiritual heart of the project and the diverse daily uses of the centre. The resulting design is clean, contemporary and forward-looking, grounded in sustainability and community wellbeing.

Key features include:

• A new green roof, promoting biodiversity, enhancing insulation, absorbing and filtering rainwater whilst reducing stormwater runoff.
• Landscaped surroundings, creating inviting, tranquil outdoor spaces that soften the urban edge and encourage gathering and play.
• Secure cycle storage, supporting active travel and healthy lifestyles.
• Flexible multi-use rooms, allowing the building to adapt fluidly between prayer, education, social care and recreation.
• Improved access and wayfinding, ensuring the building welcomes all users with clarity and ease.

Image: Bird’s Eye View

Materials and finishes have been carefully chosen to reflect both warmth and durability, while large windows and internal courtyards invite natural light deep into the building — a subtle architectural nod to the openness and transparency that ECMC embodies.

Image: Rear Courtyard

A Shared Journey

Designing this centre has been a true collaboration. From early design workshops with ECMC members, to consultations with local residents and community groups, this project has been shaped by the people it will serve.

There’s something profoundly rewarding about seeing a building transform from sketches and models into a living part of the community fabric. With this new centre, ECMC are not just building for today, but laying foundations for future generations — a place where neighbours meet, lives are supported, and community is nourished.

Image: On site construction work

ECMC :

Website https://ecmc.wales/