Plymouth University's impressive new £36m arts and community building has helped to put the city on the cultural map.

The flagship Roland Levinsky Building provides state-of-the-art teaching facilities, a new home for the Faculty of Arts and accommodates the university's student information gateway and Peninsula Arts.

It also provides public areas to promote interaction between "town and gown" in Plymouth's cultural quarter and acts as a focal point for the university and city alike.

Facilities include a cinema, lecture theatres, a gallery, restaurant, office space, general teaching areas, incubation space and resources for graphic and 3D design, fine art and architecture.

"While the focus of the brand new building is to provide a first-class education for students, a key element of the development is the opportunities it will open up for the local community," the university said in a statement.

David Coslett, Plymouth University: "The vision for the new building is to establish a centre for arts and culture which will fuse both the university campus and the city by creating a hub for activity and learning."

"We are determined to build on its existing relationship with other local arts providers and community arts organisations to deliver a high quality programme of artistic events for the people of Plymouth and the region."

The building was originally going to be called the Joshua Reynolds Building, but after Professor Roland Levinsky tragically passed away at the beginning of the year, the decision was taken that it would be a fitting tribute to name the building after him.

It comprises 12,711 square meters and was completed in September 2007, with its official launch taking place during Plymouth Enterprise Week in November 2007.

The concept designers were Danish-based architects Henning Larsens Tegnestue. Executive architects were Building Design Partnership in Bristol.

The building, which was part-funded by the EC European Development Fund and the South West RDA, was recently awarded the prestigious Abercrombie prize for architecture.

David Coslett, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, said: "It is exciting to see the shape of the city's skyline changing and the new arts and community building is a big part of this change.

"The vision for the new building is to establish a centre for arts and culture which will fuse both the university campus and the city by creating a hub for activity and learning.

"It will provide a showcase for the university campus, which will ‘open up’ to its surrounding environment, while providing new and valuable facilities for both students and the public."

Sue Brownlow, head of operations in Devon for the South West RDA, said: "The RDA is happy to be investing in a building which will contribute towards Plymouth's physical renaissance and its cultural development as well as encouraging enterprise in the creative industries sector.

"The arts building stands at an important gateway into Plymouth and is a key element in realising the Mackay Vision - it also sets a standard for the iconic architectural design to which the city aspires.

"Having facilities for fledging companies in the creative industries will encourage 'spin-outs' from the university and help entrepreneurs in the sector develop their businesses."