List of tallest buildings in Cardiff
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of the tallest buildings in Cardiff that are 42 metres (138 feet) in height and above in the capital of Wales. They include buildings ranging from the ornate civic centre to the historic Cardiff Castle and Llandaff Cathedral.
Tallest building1-6 Guildford Crescent (2025)
Tallest building height96 m (315 ft)
Taller than 50 m (164 ft)20
| Tall buildings in Cardiff | |
|---|---|
Cardiff's skyline in 2020 | |
| Tallest building | 1-6 Guildford Crescent (2025) |
| Tallest building height | 96 m (315 ft) |
| Number of tall buildings | |
| Taller than 50 m (164 ft) | 20 |
The city's growth is reflected in its growing skyline.[1] As is the case with many British cities, some of Cardiff's skyline comprises 1960s and 1970s residential and commercial tower blocks. However, current development trends for high-rise buildings include upmarket apartments and office space.
Cardiff is the largest city in Wales and has the most tall buildings in the country.[2] Designed by Rio Architects,[3] the tallest building in Cardiff is Bridge Street Exchange at 85 m (279 ft). It replaced Capital Tower in 2018, which, at 80 m (260 ft), which had been the tallest building in Cardiff since 1970.
Cardiff Council considers a tall building within the city centre and Cardiff Bay to be 8 storeys or more or from 25 m (82 ft) in height.[4] Any proposals to the council for a tall building should "Generally be located within an existing cluster or form part of a proposal to create a new cluster (a cluster can be defined as a group of buildings which form a visual cohesion from more than one viewing point)".[4]
Completed buildings and structures
This lists completed and topped out buildings and structures in Cardiff that are at least 45 metres. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.
Rank Name Image Height (m) Height (ft) Floors Year Completed/Topped Out Primary Use Location Coordinates Notes 1 1-6 Guildford Crescent 
96 314 30 2025 Residential City Centre Started construction in 2021, topped out in 2025.[5][6] 2 Plot 1 
90.5 296 29 2025 Mixed use / Residential Central Quay Started construction in 2022, topped out in 2025.[7] 3 Principality Stadium 
90 (masts) 295 (masts) 1999 Stadium Stadium Plaza 51.4780°N 3.1825°W [8] 4 Bridge Street Exchange 
85 279 26 2018 Student residential and retail units City Centre 51.4800°N 3.1725°W [9][10][11] 5 Gramercy Tower, 6 Curran Road 
84 275 27 2025 Residential City Centre Started construction in 2020, topped out in 2024.[12] 6 Wood Street House 
83.5 274 22 2023 Residential and public transport interchange Central Square 51.4773°N 3.1786°W [13] 7 Capital Tower 
80 262 25 1967 Office and retail units City Centre 51.4829°N 3.1776°W From 1967 until 2018, the tallest building in Cardiff to the top of the roof.[14] 8 Stadium House 
78 (excluding spire) 125 (including spire) 256 (excluding spire) 410 (including spire) 17 1976
(Renovated 2002)Office Stadium Plaza 51.4778°N 3.1806°W With the communications mast, the structure (added in 2002) is the highest point in Cardiff. The stainless steel mast measures 131 feet (40 m). The lower levels of the building houses the Cardiff Empire Telephone Exchange. [15] 9 Plot 2 
76 249 24 2025 Mixed use / Residential Central Quay Started construction in 2022, topped out in 2025.[16] 10 Zenith 
75[note 1] 246 26 2019 Student residential Capital Quarter 51.4764°N 3.1715°W [18] The Copper Works (Y Gwaith Copr) 
75 246 23 2023 Residential Capital Quarter 51.4767°N 3.1709°W [19] 11 Altolusso 
72 236 23 2005 Residential City Centre 51.4775°N 3.1725°W [20] 12 Tŷ Pont Haearn 
63 207 21 2005 Student residential and lower multi-storey car park City Centre 51.4780°N 3.1725°W [21] Meridian Gate 
63 207 21 2009 Hotel City Centre 51.4768°N 3.1737°W [22] 13 Tŷ Admiral 
61 203 14 2015 Office and retail units City Centre 51.4795°N 3.1728°W Not to be confused with Admiral House.
Designed by Glenn Howells Architects at a cost of £58 million.[23]Premier Inn (Stadium) Hotel 
61 200 18 2023 Hotel / restaurants City Centre 51.4763°N 3.1755°W [13] 14 Holland House 
60.3 198 15 1968
(Renovated 2004)[24]Hotel (former office) Newport Road 51.4836°N 3.1672°W [25] 15 Llandaff Cathedral 
59.40 195 1290 Religion Llandaff 51.4958°N 3.2180°W Until 1967, the tallest building in Cardiff to the top of the spire.[26] 16 City Hall Clock Tower 
59 194 1905 Civic building Cathays Park 51.4850°N 3.1792°W [27] 17 William Morgan House 
58 (approx) 190 12 2020 Office Central Square 51.4776°N 3.1801°W UK Government Regional Hub and offices of HMRC. Named after the bible translator William Morgan (1545–1604).[28][29] Helmont House 
58 190 12 1984 Office / Hotel Canal Quarter 51.4810°N 3.1713°W [30] Brunel House 
58 190 16 1974[31] Office and retail units Newport Road 51.4823°N 3.1698°W Originally called Great Western House, headquarters for the Western Region of British Rail.[32][33] 18 Pendeen House 
56 184 19 2014 Residential Ferry Court, Cardiff Bay 51.45365°N 3.1768°W [34] 19 Vita Student, 11 Park Place 
55.2 181 18 2022 Student residential Park Place 51.4841°N 3.1749°W [35] 20 Admiral House 
55 180 16 2006 (Renovated) Residential Newport Road 51.4842°N 3.1656°W Not to be confused with Tŷ Admiral[36] 21 Anchor Works 
52 170 15 2024 Residential Dumballs Road Started construction in 2021, topped out in 2024.[37] 22 Landmark Place 
51 167 17 2004 Residential and retail units Canal Quarter 51.4815°N 3.1713°W [38] 23 Verse, 47-53 Charles Street 
50.5 165 16 2023 Residential City Centre 51.4803°N 3.1729°W [39] 24 Cardiff University Tower Building 
50 164 12 University Cathays Park 51.4888°N 3.1808°W [40] 25 Vega House, Celestia 
48 158 2007 Residential Cardiff Bay 51.4643°N 3.1590°W [41] Southgate House 
48 157 13 1978 Office / Retail Central Square 51.4778°N 3.1792°W [42] 29 Loudoun House 
47 154 16 1964 Residential Butetown 51.4699°N 3.1703°W [43] Nelson House 
47 154 16 1964 Residential Butetown 51.4701°N 3.1709°W [44] 30 ISIS 3D 
46 151 15 2007 Residential Century Wharf 51.4675°N 3.1747°W [45] Eastgate House 
46 151 14 1969 Office Newport Road 51.4851°N 3.1658°W [46] McKenzie House 
46 151 12 University Newport Road 51.4840°N 3.1661°W Previously known as NPI House[47] St Andrews United Reformed Church 
46 150 1900 Church Roath 51.4960°N 3.1645°W [48] 31 Brains Brewery Chimney 
45.7 150[49] 1938[49] Chimney Central Quay 32 The Aspect 
45 148 15 1960s, renovated 2002 Residential and retail units City Centre 51.4827°N 3.1710°W Converted office block (Fanum House) with 2 additional storeys added in 2002.[50][51] Strata 
45 148 15 2009 Residential Century Wharf 51.4681°N 3.1761°W [52] The Neighbourhood 
45 148 11 Residential and retail units Newport Road 51.4860°N 3.1662°W Former City Road campus of Coleg Glan Hafren, converted in 2016 into a student accommodation and a coffee shop.[53][54][55] 33 Marriott Hotel 
43 141 12 1986 Hotel and restaurant Mill Lane [56] 51.4771°N 3.1752°W [57] 34 Channel View Flats 
42 138 14 1965 Residential Grangetown 51.4582°N 3.1824°W [58] 35 Cardiff Castle Clock Tower 
40 131 1873 Monument Castle Quarter 51.4813°N 3.182°W [59] St John the Baptist Church 
40 131 circa 1490 Church The Hayes 51.4807°N 3.1783°W [60]
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Buildings under construction or approved
Height figures are rounded to the nearest metre.
Under construction
This lists buildings that are under construction in Cardiff and are planned to rise at least 40 metres. Under construction buildings that have already been topped out are listed above.
| Rank | Name | Image | Height (m) | Floors | Year Construction Began | Primary Use | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff Sixth Form Boarding Hub | .jpg) |
18 | Approved 2023, under construction 2024 | Student accommodation | [61] |
Approved
This lists buildings that have been approved for, but are yet to start, construction in Cardiff (over 40 m).
Rank Name Image Height (m) Height (ft) Floors Year Approved Primary use Location Coordinates Notes 1 5 Central Square 178 584 - 2026 Residential Central Square [62][63][64][65] 2 Custom House Street Tower 
132 433 42 2016 Student residential / retail City Centre Construction halted after the
installation of drainage/manhole[66][67]3 Harlech Court 
35 Residential Bute Terrace Image shows the former Harlech Court being demolished on the site[68] 4 John Street Tower (John Street - North) 99 324 2018 Mixed use [69] 4 Hallinans House 
99 324 32 2017 Mixed use Newport Road Image shows current building[70][71] 5 Friary House 
Up to 28 2024 Mixed use City Centre Image shows current building[72][73] 6 The Embankment 
25 Residential Dumballs Road Image shows current building[74][75][76] 7 Longcross Court 
18 2024 Student accommodation Newport Road Image shows current building[77]
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Demolished
| Rank | Name | Image | Height (m) | Height (ft) | Floors | Year Constructed | Year Demolished | Primary Use | Location | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phase 2, Government Buildings, Tŷ Glas | .jpg) _(cropped).jpg) |
73 | 239 | 18 | 1969 | 2024 | HMRC offices | Llanishen | 51.5267°N 3.1982°W | [78][79] |
| 2 | Gleider House, Phase 1 Government Buildings, Tŷ Glas | .JPG) .jpg) |
44.50 | 146 | 11 | 1968 | 2024 | HMRC and Tenovus offices | Llanishen | 51.5276°N 3.1966°W | [80] |
See also
Notes
- The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat estimates that the building is 85 m (279 ft), this is based on a floor count of 25 floors. The estimation has been arrived at by analyzing 8,693 other buildings of the same Residential function on this database that do have confirmed heights. The user should be aware that non-standard features, such as significant spires or raised entrances / podiums, may affect the accuracy of this estimation.[17]