The Senedd, which was opened in 2006, is situated in a prime position on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay. It houses the National Assembly for Wales' Siambr (debating chamber) and Committee Rooms. The Senedd is completely transparent at the public level and sits on a slate plinth which steps upwards from the waterfront and houses the private spaces of the building. A lightweight, gently undulating roof shelters both internal and external spaces and is drawn down to form a funnel-like enclosure over the Siambr. The Senedd is situated in a prime position on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay, adjacent to the Grade 1 listed Pierhead Building and Wales Millennium Centre. The building faces south west and looks out over a spectacular panorama of sky and water. Click here to see the exact location of the building.The building has three floors, which all serve a different purpose based on the architect's vision. Transparent at the public level, the debates take place below within the slate plinth. Click here for a guide to the building's levels.

Siambr

The Siambr is the large, circular debating chamber which lies at the heart of the building. It houses the full meeting of all 60 Assembly Members under a spectacular funnel which hangs from the roof.The Siambr, entered from the Cwrt, is a large circular space at the heart of the building and is defined by the dramatic funnel form in the main roof. Below the funnel, the Siambr has a tiered floor. The timber desks are bespoke items of furniture, hand crafted from Welsh oak and discreetly integrating appropriate technical equipment. The Siambr floor is timber and the walls at the lower level of the drum of the Siambr are clad in acoustic panels that facilitate the Siambr's acoustic performance.On the level above, accessed directly from the Neuadd, the public viewing gallery is situated around the outer edges of the Siambr, separated from the Siambr itself, for security reasons, by the lower glazed portion of the funnel. This gallery seats 128 people, including press and there are 12 spaces for visitors who use wheelchairs. Some of the seating is in an elevated tier to maintain views into the Siambr. This space has fabric acoustic panel walls, a carpeted floor and low level lighting. On either side of the Siambr two internal courtyards are formed by two deep slots cut into the plinth, which provide daylight for the sequence of committee rooms and offices on the ground floor. These courtyards also add to the transparency of the building by allowing views into the private spaces from the public levels above.

Committee Rooms

All public Assembly Committee Meetings in Cardiff Bay are held in the Senedd's three Committee Rooms. There are three committee rooms in the Cwrt. These rooms normally accommodate committees of up to 24 people at the meeting tables. Committee Rooms 1 and 2 can be opened and re-configured to accommodate up to 34 people around a central table. The committee rooms have double height, glazed walls that face out into the internal courtyard. These along with the roof lights above, maximise the amount of natural daylight which enters the rooms. The glazed walls also provide views into the rooms from the public areas adding to the feeling of transparency. Artificial light can also be used to provide adequate broadcasting conditions. Members of the public can access the Committee room viewing galleries from the Neuadd above via glass bridges which span the courtyard below. Each viewing gallery has 31 fixed seats and three spaces for visitors who use wheelchairs - three of the fixed seats can be removed to provide a further two spaces for wheelchair users. As with the Siambr viewing gallery, full-height glazed screens separate the public galleries from the committee rooms for security. Materials used in the viewing galleries include carpet flooring, fabric panels cladding the walls and concrete soffits.

The Oriel

The Oriel is an open, public space offering views of the Siambr at work, the Committee Rooms and a spectacular panorama of Cardiff Bay and surrounding buildings. Refreshments are available to members of the public in the Oriel café. There is also space here for exhibitions, and events. The glass flooring, which surrounds the funnel, enables visitors to glimpse down into the Siambr two floors below - an opportunity for the electorate to see their elected representatives at work.This raised area overlooks the main entrance and offers impressive external views in all directions.The Neuadd is the public space which welcomes visitors to the Senedd.

Neuadd

This lower level houses the public reception and information area, and was conceived as an orientation and event area. On entering the Neuadd, visitors see a large slate and glass reception desk below a simple canopy that aids acoustics in this area and maintains a micro-climate for reception staff. To the left of the reception desk a flight of steps lead to the Oriel. One of the few areas within the Senedd not open to the public, this is the area that leads to the Siambr and Committee Rooms, and where Assembly Members congregate before and after debates. This is a space where Assembly Members meet before and after debates. As elsewhere, walls are clad in fabric panels and the flooring is slate. Two double doors lead through the curved wall of the drum of the Siambr and into the Siambr itself.