A TORFAEN watersports centre has been awarded the gold medal for architecture at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

The Llandegfedd Reservoir visitor and watersports centre was one of seven nominated buildings in Wales to receive the award on Saturday, July 30.

The building was designed by Chepstow based architects Hall + Bednarczyk and has added a new dimension to the Torfaen reservoir.

Llandegfedd Reserovir is owned by Welsh Water, and is one of the largest bodies of water in the Gwent region.

The visitor centre houses a café and display area, which has an asymmetrically curved zinc clad roof that appears to float over the first floor café, mirroring the hills that enclose the reservoir.

The café itself opens on to a cantilevered balcony that provides panoramic views across the water.

Selector and architect, Alan Francis, said of the winning design: “Of all the projects we visited, this was the most fully resolved architecturally from the initial idea of sitting two buildings on the shore of the reservoir through to the high standard of construction that was achieved.

“These exceptional buildings have settled into their surroundings and prove themselves in use. We expect them to remain fine works of architecture throughout their working life, and to be recognised as such by future generations.”