Riverfront theatre

Another fabulous morning, a blue sky with no clouds around, took a drive to the riverfront opposite the Friars Walk Shopping Centre where you will see the Riverfront theatre.
The Riverfront (Welsh: Glan yr Afon) is the principal and newest theatre and arts centre in the City of Newport. It is located on the west bank of the River Usk on the Bristol Packet Wharf in the city centre. Designed by architectural firm Austin-Smith:Lord, the centre was opened on 23 October 2004.Plans were discussed for a theatre as early as 1995 but was delayed due to the reorganisation of local authority finances.
Plans were ultimately made for the new arts centre at the same time as Newport made its bid for city status in 2002, at an estimated cost of £15 million. The centre was supported by Arts Council of Wales funding and National Assembly for Wales grant funding.
Construction began in May 2002, and took two years, partly delayed by the discovery of a medieval ship estimated to be 500 years old.
The Riverfront finally opened on 23 October 2004 with a concert by Katharine Jenkins and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The building's design was described as a celebration of deconstructivism in the style of Zaha Hadid, whose Cardiff Opera House design had recently been rejected nearby. The design proved polarising, winning the Welsh Building of the Year award two years in a row in 2005 and 2006, but also drawing scepticism from some local residents.In March 2004 the Riverfront came second in a public vote to find Wales' most ugly building.