The essay speculates on the future built environment of Merthyr Tydfil, seeking to redefine welfare architecture as a framework of empowerment rather than dependency. It proposes repairing the fabric of the town by analysing how technology has shaped it and by revealing the identity formed during the Industrial Revolution.


Merthyr Tydfil has long been framed negatively in the media, yet evidence of its rich history during the industrial age—visible through archival photographs—suggests a different narrative that magnifies the beauty of the valleys and its past. The essay draws on these archives to reconstruct historical imagery, alongside primary photographs that show present-day Merthyr Tydfil.

The essay also examines screenshots from the television programme Skint to demonstrate how post-industrial areas such as Merthyr are portrayed on television, analysing how particular images are strategically selected to construct a negative narrative. It highlights three forms of imagery in order to investigate how different visual perspectives can alter the story of a place.