The Riverfront

The Riverfront stands on the west bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre, beside the Bristol Packet Wharf. Designed by Austin-Smith:Lord, the arts centre opened in October 2004 after two years of construction. Its deconstructivist style echoes Zaha Hadid’s Cardiff Opera House design. The building won Welsh Building of the Year twice but also drew criticism in public polls. A medieval ship uncovered during digging delayed work and later shaped part of the foyer. The centre hosts around 180 performances, 550 workshops and 110 film screenings each year. It has welcomed BBC One’s Question Time, Doctor Who filming and the Big Splash festival, which draws 20,000 visitors. Traditional Christmas pantomimes have featured acts like Mark James in Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin. A small art gallery shows local artists’ work, and the café and bar overlook the river. The foyer now contains a specially built space for the Newport Ship, a 15th-century vessel found in the Usk mud. Measuring about 25 metres long and dated 1465, the ship’s discovery was compared to the Mary Rose. The exhibition area was constructed beneath the foyer without disrupting existing facilities. The ship itself remains in storage while plans for permanent display are considered.