Facilities and Location
Situated in picturesque surroundings around 3 miles north of Machynlleth in Mid Wales, the Centre for Alternative Technology has a broad array of facilities that will cater to nearly all your needs when you come during your residential study weeks.
CAT is a living laboratory containing some of the most innovative and renowned environmentally conscious buildings in the country. When you stay and study at CAT you’ll be surrounded by a diverse range of installed renewable technologies, water and sewage treatment facilities, sustainably managed woodland and acres of organic gardens which have developed over 50 years of CAT’s history.
All of which helps us cater to your needs when you stay here and serve as useful teaching resources.
General Facilities
- 200-seat, rammed earth, circular lecture theatre
- Large classrooms/workspaces and smaller seminar/private meeting rooms
- Study space outside of the residential weeks in our small on-site library
- Open spaces in our WISE building provide useful light and warm areas to meet, network and, study
- Free student WIFI available across most of the site
- Flexible exhibition and study space for student projects and work
- An on-site eco store
- Vegetarian café offering delicious vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes and snacks
- Free parking and charging for electric vehicles (for charging please contact us to book ahead to ensure you have access)
- We have an electric mobility scooter and wheelchairs that can be used free of charge but should be booked in advance. Call 01654 705950 to book
- Donnelly’s Bar stocks organic and ethically sourced drinks and snacks
- Access to CAT’s 24 acres of woodlands, organic gardens and interactive displays
Student Resources
A diverse range of display and research items around the site are available for students’ research and dissertation work, and we can provide a wide range of monitoring equipment, including temperature data loggers, light metres, wind monitoring equipment and thermal imaging cameras.
Other resources available online to all students include recordings of lectures, online discussion groups, and access to online journals and books.
Shared studio space is also available for Architecture students during their teaching weeks on-site.
Student Accommodation
Situated within the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere and nestled in the foothills of the South Snowdonia National Park, our on-site accommodation offers student the opportunity to stay in a picturesque setting during their studies.
Study in the Heart of Mid Wales
CAT’s home in Mid-Wales is home to a rich tapestry of Welsh culture, language and tradition and our location and surroundings offers learners a truly unique student experience.
Machynlleth was the first town to declare a climate emergency in 2019 and local groups and events are in abundance. From community-led organic growing projects like Mach Maethlon, to local music events and the internationally renowned Machynlleth Comedy Festival, CAT students enjoy joining and contributing towards a vibrant wider community.
Travelling to SITE
CAT is situated three miles north of Machynlleth and is easily accessible by public transport. Machynlleth is on the Birmingham-to-Aberystwyth train line, which can also be accessed via Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, and hourly buses from Machynlleth train station stop right outside the site.
CONTACT US
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