National Assembly Building

Lonely Planet review

Looming over the Pierhead Building like a giant manta ray is Wales' most controversial architectural project, the National Assembly Building - Y Senedd in Welsh - a striking structure of concrete, slate, glass and steel with a dramatic canopy roof. The underside of the roof is lined with red cedar and undulates in waves, mimicking the waves in the bay. It houses the debating chamber of the Welsh National Assembly, committee rooms and a public gallery where you can observe the debating chamber.

The building has won awards for its environmentally friendly design, which includes a huge rotating cowl on the roof for power-free ventilation and a gutter system that collects rainwater for flushing the toilets. The lobby and surrounding area is littered with public artworks, including the 'meeting place', a curved bench made of 3-tonne slate blocks from Blaenau Ffestiniog, thoughtfully provided as a place for protesters to rest their legs.The Assembly usually meets in a plenary session from 14:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and seats in the public gallery are on a first-come-first-served basis. Guided tours of the building are available, taking in the debating chamber, committee rooms and the visitor centre. It's advisable to book a tour, but you can drop in at the National Assembly Visitor Centre (inside the Pierhead Building) and ask; if there's space available, they will usually let you tag along with a larger group.