NEWPORT’S £35 million city centre university campus received a top architectural award yesterday.

Designed by architects BDP, the city campus’s striking design was praised as “fluidly knitting together considerably diverse uses” by the judging panel.

The new campus, on the banks of the River Usk, which is home to the university’s business, art and film schools, was one of seven Welsh projects and 97 buildings in the UK to win a 2011 Royal Institute of British Architects Award.

A privately-owned home in Llanishen, Monmouthshire, also received the accolade.

The university’s deputy vicechancellor, Graham Rogers said: “The city can rightly be proud of the building, which the university has always made clear belongs to the people of Newport.

“As well as being at the heart of the regeneration of Newport and providing economic growth for the region, we can now proudly say that we have one of the best buildings in Wales right here in our city.”

The awards, which recognise architectural excellence, are judged on a regional basis and approved by a national awards jury.

A shortlist will now be drawn up for the RIBA Stirling Prize, for building of the year.