A Piece of 1800s History

The lift inside the Cambrian Building in Cardiff is over 50 years old, but it continues to operate the same as it did when it was originally installed. The building was constructed in the 1880s and offers office space to renters. Offices are distributed across two wings, which lie on either side of a central access area. The Cambrian Building is a Grade II-listed building, which, according to Historic England, signifies “particularly important buildings of more than special interest.” The lift was originally installed by Waygood, a U.K.-based company that was bought by Otis Elevator Co. in the 1950s, and whose name is prominently featured in the elevator’s design. The lift recently passed a maintenance audit from a consultant at The Lift Consultancy, which has offices in London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham. Although it has been modernised by KONE over time, many of its original components have been preserved throughout the renovations. The six-storey, 61,000-ft2 building was renovated in 2000 but, like the lift, it still retains a few aspects of the original structure, such as the oak-panelled boardrooms. The ornate grille surrounding the elevator cab adds a particularly.