In December 2024, Urban Foundry – through our pop-up project – helped Blueprint move into 14 Stepney Street, Llanelli, for a short-term pop-up.
We had a gap in our schedule, and it gave them the opportunity they needed – a month in the town centre to test their idea.
The pop-up space gave them a base in the town centre to experiment, invite people in, and showcase what they’re working on.
As a result of this work from phase one, and its impact on both the town centre and families/users, a permanent arcade is now on the cards.
Blueprint is a non-profit focused on local regeneration. They’ve been co-creating projects in Llanelli since their ‘Future of Llanelli’ event in 2023 – from The Precious Plastics Project in Stepney Precinct with Zombie Plastics, to this latest concept.
James Dovey from Blueprint has just shared this video explaining more about the project and the impact it has had: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZfXz73YliY)
What they did
Over four weeks, the empty shop was turned into a working games arcade, built by hand from recycled and affordable materials:
- Basketball machine – made from reclaimed timber, teaching design and teamwork.
- Retro arcade cabinet – scrap wood and an old PC monitor transformed into a playable game.
- Formula 1 racing simulator – professional-grade controls gave people a taste of real motorsport kit.
- Reaction wall – testing reflexes, sparking competition.
- Llanelli in Fortnite – a playable map of the town centre, where young people suggested how empty spaces could be re-imagined.
What happened in the space
- Kids walked in off the street and learned to how to design games through the use of electrical engineering, coding and product design with 3D printers.
- School groups designed 3D assets for the Fortnite map and shared ideas for the town.
- Families played the games and discovered how they were built.
- Volunteers of all ages painted, built, coded and collaborated on the development of the project.
- The arcade quickly became competitive, with high scores driving people back again and again.
- An empty shop turned into a workshop, arcade and classroom – and people left with new skills, ideas, and a different perspective on what their town centre could be.
“Having a presence in the town is really what we need to drive this project forward. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and no one sees what we’re doing, so it’s fantastic to have a space in the town that people can walk past, get involved in, and learn about who Blueprint are and what we’re doing. The Battle Arcade showed us what happens when you give local people a chance to try things out in real spaces. It was affordable, sustainable, and community-led. It engaged young people in technology, gave volunteers new skills, and put energy back into a part of the town that would otherwise have been standing empty.”
James Dovey, Blueprint
What’s next
The pop-up was Phase I. Next comes Phase II – looking at securing a permanent location in Llanelli town centre. The vision is an academy by day – teaching digital and enterprise skills – and a community arcade with food and games by night.
This pop-up project was delivered by Urban Foundry in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council. Funded by UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund.
We’re looking forward to seeing this project come to life and whatever Blueprint comes up with next.
Find out more at https://blueprint.wales
Email ideas@urbanfoundry.co.uk if you’d like to talk about pop-ups.
