33_quayside v3KM SH:Renaissance Pdf
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PROJECTS: QUAYSIDE
The previously industrial Quayside is now established as a contemporary location popular, with all the apartments sold offplan before construction was complete. The quality office space is almost all fully let (the majority to leading local law firm Dickinson Dees) and the retail units are all let and fully operational. The focal point of the development is Trinity Place, which forms a central square, giving the area a sense of community. At the heart of the square is another piece of art: an award-winning sculpture by Peter Randall-Page. Part of Newcastle’s ‘Hidden Rivers’ project, acknowledging the rivers and burns running beneath the city, Give and Take’s
30 tonnes of glacial granite is seated on a cobbled base evocative of a riverbed. “We see the role of art and design as an important investment,” says Michelle Percy, of Silverlink. “By establishing a combined design and project team from the outset it means art and public space are not afterthoughts, but designed as an integral part of the development.” The final phase of the scheme was the installation of a dramatic lighting project. The joint venture between Silverlink and Newcastle City Council marks out the historical landmarks surrounding the site. The 18th century All Saints Church, one
of only three elliptical churches in the country, can now be admired after dark, as can a section of the original city walls, previously inaccessible, revealed during the development. Work will start this year on the last remaining development plot at the eastern end of the Quayside. Imperial Quay, developed by AWG and Shepherd Developments, will consist of two separate elements – a 10-storey office block along the north and eastern boundaries of the site and an 11-storey residential tower. A terraced plaza lined with restaurants and cafes will link the two buildings and grand staircases will lead to additional public spaces along City Road and the Quayside. The landmark scheme will incorporate 234 parking spaces in a five-level multistorey car park, 9,000sq m of office accommodation, 1,400sq m of restaurant space and 61 residential units in the landmark tower, which offers one- and two-bedroom accommodation overlooking the landscaped riverside promenade. According to site owner, regional development agency One NorthEast, the plot offers a high point on the Quayside’s masterplan. The agency worked closely with Newcastle City Council to select the appropriate scheme for the plot – dependent on its quality, price and response to the brief – to maintain and continue the development of the Quayside area. “It was imperative that the site was developed accordingly,” Phil Calvert of one NorthEast explains. “The plan provides a comprehensive interface between the commercial development to the west end of the Quayside and the residential area to the east. The mixeduse site will draw activity towards the eastern end and enable public access from the Quayside up onto City Road level.” I
Left: The mixed-use Imperial Quay development will complete the regeneration of the Quayside.
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