Background

Gateshead Quays is the historic heart of Gateshead, which during the Industrial Revolution and Victorian Era became one of the focal points for industries in the North East due to its easily accessible port. The area fell into decline in the 1970’s and 1980’s as those industries declined. Today however, Gateshead Quays has seen significant investment and continues to be converted into a truly unique arts and cultural space, unparalleled to anything else in Europe.

In 1996 the area was a vacant plot of industrial wasteland, but Gateshead Council had a vision to transform it. The resulting multi-award winning design, a radically modern £70 million performing arts centre, opened to the public on the 17th of December 2004. The striking contemporary stainless steel aesthetic of the building was complimented in the landscape by the minimal, co-ordinated, low profile and unobtrusive modern urban designs of the Geo range. To pay cohesive design tribute to the stunning interior balustrade and handrails along the mezzanine floors, Marshalls created a bespoke handrail system with coloured glass panels.

The handrail has design cues to the Geo range, with its prominent shadow gap detailing and after this flagship project the Geo Handrail evolved based on this prototype. In addition, along the side of the Tyne, a more cost effective galvanised version of the Geo handrail form was specified, but with stainless uprights and top caps for visual cohesion.

Attracting many thousands of visitors per year, and many after dark, The Sage required an efficient and attractively lit pedestrian route for both security and user clarity. The discreet Geo Disc Luminaires were specified to achieve this and are then utilised for area lighting outside the venue from both a column with innovative triple bracket system and a modest wall mounted fixing method to ensure the entire space is lit uniformly.

Re-purposing design prompts from traffic signs in Kensington high street, Marshalls also commissioned bespoke stainless steel hoop signs for parking bay markers to give the final contemporary touches to the highly specified public space. The BALTIC and The Sage Gateshead have acted as a catalyst for the regeneration of Gateshead Quays, attracting further re-development of the area. The area has become the home to the Design Centre for the North and Marshalls are proud that its products are considered in keeping with this landmark high-design development.

Challenge

To enhance the pedestrian access and areas outside a multi-award winning architectural design, a radically modern £70 million performing arts centre.

Approach

A combination of contemporary Geo street furniture and lighting elements, alongside a consultative bespoke approach for signs and a huge length of handrail balustrade with design consistency with The Sage’s innovative interior.

Result

A stunning and iconic development, the area has now become the home to the Design Centre for the North and Marshalls are proud that its products are considered in keeping with this landmark highdesign development.