Newport Civic Centre | |
---|---|
Canolfan Ddinesig Casnewydd | |
| |
General information | |
Architectural style | Art Deco |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Official name | Newport Civic Centre |
Designated | 14 September 1999 |
Reference no. | 22333 |
Town or city | Newport |
Country | United Kingdom |
Coordinates | 51°35′19″N 3°00′22″W / 51.588713°N 3.006011°W |
Construction started | 1937 |
Completed | 1964 |
Client | Newport Corporation |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Thomas Cecil Howitt |
Newport Civic Centre ( Welsh: Canolfan Ddinesig Casnewydd) is a municipal building in Godfrey Road in Newport, South Wales. The civic centre, which is the headquarters of Newport City Council, is a Grade II* Listed building. [1]
The first town hall, which was located in Commercial Street and designed in the classical style, was officially opened on 31 January 1843; [3] after this was found to be too small it was replaced a second structure, also in Commercial Street, which was designed by Thomas Meakin Lockwood in the Renaissance style and completed in 1885. [4] [5] After deciding the second town hall was also inadequate for their needs, civic leaders chose to procure a new civic centre: the site they selected had previously been occupied by a property known as St Mary's Lodge in Fields Road. [6] [7]
The ceremonial first sod on the new building was cut by King George VI, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth, on 14 July 1937. [1] Following a design competition, it was designed by Thomas Cecil Howitt in the Art Deco style and built using Portland stone. [8] Progress was delayed by the advent of the Second World War but resumed after the war: the building was fitted out, a collection of 12 murals by the German artist Hans Feibusch were installed and the clock tower was finished. [1] The building, which Newman in The Buildings of Wales described as "something of a disappointment", finally opened in 1964. [8]
The design involved a very wide symmetrical frontage with 37 bays facing Fields Road; the central section of five bays featured a huge full-height round-headed entrance on the ground floor and a clock tower above; there were wings to the east and west, each of seven bays, and beyond that there were side bays, each of nine bays. [1] A court complex was built to the south of the main building between 1989 and 1991. [1] Internally, the principal rooms were the council chamber and the mayor's parlour. [1] The building was the meeting place of Newport Borough Council until the town was granted formal city status as part of a contest for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the building then became the home of Newport City Council. [9]
A sandstone plaque to commemorate the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort, which had been placed in the pavement outside the civic centre, was unveiled on 7 October 2011. [10] Works of art in the civic centre include a sculpture by David Evans depicting two straining miners entitled "Labour". [11]
Newport Civic Centre | |
---|---|
Canolfan Ddinesig Casnewydd | |
| |
General information | |
Architectural style | Art Deco |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Official name | Newport Civic Centre |
Designated | 14 September 1999 |
Reference no. | 22333 |
Town or city | Newport |
Country | United Kingdom |
Coordinates | 51°35′19″N 3°00′22″W / 51.588713°N 3.006011°W |
Construction started | 1937 |
Completed | 1964 |
Client | Newport Corporation |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Thomas Cecil Howitt |
Newport Civic Centre ( Welsh: Canolfan Ddinesig Casnewydd) is a municipal building in Godfrey Road in Newport, South Wales. The civic centre, which is the headquarters of Newport City Council, is a Grade II* Listed building. [1]
The first town hall, which was located in Commercial Street and designed in the classical style, was officially opened on 31 January 1843; [3] after this was found to be too small it was replaced a second structure, also in Commercial Street, which was designed by Thomas Meakin Lockwood in the Renaissance style and completed in 1885. [4] [5] After deciding the second town hall was also inadequate for their needs, civic leaders chose to procure a new civic centre: the site they selected had previously been occupied by a property known as St Mary's Lodge in Fields Road. [6] [7]
The ceremonial first sod on the new building was cut by King George VI, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth, on 14 July 1937. [1] Following a design competition, it was designed by Thomas Cecil Howitt in the Art Deco style and built using Portland stone. [8] Progress was delayed by the advent of the Second World War but resumed after the war: the building was fitted out, a collection of 12 murals by the German artist Hans Feibusch were installed and the clock tower was finished. [1] The building, which Newman in The Buildings of Wales described as "something of a disappointment", finally opened in 1964. [8]
The design involved a very wide symmetrical frontage with 37 bays facing Fields Road; the central section of five bays featured a huge full-height round-headed entrance on the ground floor and a clock tower above; there were wings to the east and west, each of seven bays, and beyond that there were side bays, each of nine bays. [1] A court complex was built to the south of the main building between 1989 and 1991. [1] Internally, the principal rooms were the council chamber and the mayor's parlour. [1] The building was the meeting place of Newport Borough Council until the town was granted formal city status as part of a contest for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the building then became the home of Newport City Council. [9]
A sandstone plaque to commemorate the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort, which had been placed in the pavement outside the civic centre, was unveiled on 7 October 2011. [10] Works of art in the civic centre include a sculpture by David Evans depicting two straining miners entitled "Labour". [11]