Topo Architects
Topo Architects
A contemporary art gallery with white walls, dark wooden floors and a wooden chair.

The NewBridge Project, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2023

This project involved the retro-fit of a 5 storey, former office building to create a new home for The NewBridge Project; a charity based in Newcastle-upon Tyne supporting artists, curators and communities through an extensive programme of free public events, workshops, a dedicated youth project and community-led initiatives.

The project explored how, with a limited budget, a sustainable approach to re-use can deliver significant value to communities. The brief involved creating studios for over 120 artists, ceramics, print and wood workshops, a bookshop, an events space, gallery, flexible co-workspaces for communities to gather and associated offices.

Internally, large portions of the building were entirely re-configured to create a diverse range of spaces of varying scales, acoustic and material qualities that respond to the varying requirements of different creative disciplines.

The existing concrete structure was uncovered, celebrating its brutalist quality and creating a distinctive atmosphere. This allowed key structural elements to be used as spatial devices that help users orientate themselves and navigate around the building. Concrete and woodwool ceilings form a datum against which existing services are left exposed, communicating the economy of the project. These are overlaid with new lighting alongside upgrades to fire safety.

Affordable, readily available materials were used for floor finishes, joinery and reconfiguring spaces; these were elevated with bespoke stained and painted finishes to bring richness to every-day construction techniques. In the gallery a timber floor was revealed and restored, and recycled netting is stretched over the ceiling to obscure existing finishes. At the entrance level a new bookshop forms the main point of arrival. Within this space we designed a range specialist joinery items that are finished with a rich green stain creating a memorable, visual identity for the space.

A contemporary art gallery with sculptures, a dark wooden floor and white walls.
A bookshop with a concrete floor and ceiling, and dark green bookshelf.

Client Statement

“Having space in the building to come together is invaluable to our growing creative community, enabling members, artists, other local organisations, and residents to work together. This project has supported the expansion of The NewBridge Project; running studios, workshops, weekly Youth Programme sessions, Coffee Mornings and Saturday Socials as well as a busy public programme of artist development and exhibitions.

Our communal space and gallery are the heart of the building, enabling us to do ambitious work with care at the forefront of all our methods. We worked closely with Topo Architects throughout the retrofit of the offices to transform dated, impractical spaces into an accessible and vibrant place for many different creative and social activities. It is a space where our members can work and meet, where community meals and celebrations such as Eid are hosted, deepening the connections between artists, local residents and all the other people that make NewBridge home.”

An axonometric sketch of an architectural building project.
An axonometric, architectural line drawing of buildings in a city.
A workspace with a concrete floor, ceiling, white painted walls, and coloured books on a table.
A bookshop interior with a pale wood reception desk, display tables and green bookshelves.
A zoom photograph of timber wall panelling with a dark green wood stain.
A room with white walls, dark wooden floors and a wooden chair.
A zoom photograph of white painted, concrete block walls and a concrete lintel.
An art gallery with white concrete walls, a dark wooden floor and a large concrete beam.
An architectural floor plan, showing level three of the building.
An architectural floor plan, showing level four of the building.
An architectural floor plan, showing level five of the building.
An architectural floor plan, showing level one of the building.
An architectural floor plan, showing level two of the building.
A bookshop with a concrete floor and ceiling, and dark green bookshelf.
A zoom photograph of a dark green stained timber bench seat on a light grey floor.
An architectural drawing of a bookshop joinery design.

Project information

AWARDS
  • Winner:  Architects Journal Small Projects - Sustainability Award
  • Winner: Lord Mayors Design Awards - Adaptive Re-use

The NewBridge Project, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2023

A contemporary art gallery with sculptures, a dark wooden floor and white walls.
A workspace with a concrete floor, ceiling, white painted walls, and coloured books on a table.
A contemporary art gallery with white walls, dark wooden floors and a wooden chair.
An art gallery with white concrete walls, a dark wooden floor and a large concrete beam.
A zoom photograph of white painted, concrete block walls and a concrete lintel.
A room with white walls, dark wooden floors and a wooden chair.
An axonometric sketch of an architectural building project.
An axonometric, architectural line drawing of buildings in a city.

+  Project Information

This project involved the retro-fit of a 5 storey, former office building to create a new home for The NewBridge Project; a charity based in Newcastle-upon Tyne supporting artists, curators and communities through an extensive programme of free public events, workshops, a dedicated youth project and community-led initiatives.

The project explored how, with a limited budget, a sustainable approach to re-use can deliver significant value to communities. The brief involved creating studios for over 120 artists, ceramics, print and wood workshops, a bookshop, an events space, gallery, flexible co-workspaces for communities to gather and associated offices.

Internally, large portions of the building were entirely re-configured to create a diverse range of spaces of varying scales, acoustic and material qualities that respond to the varying requirements of different creative disciplines.

The existing concrete structure was uncovered, celebrating its brutalist quality and creating a distinctive atmosphere. This allowed key structural elements to be used as spatial devices that help users orientate themselves and navigate around the building. Concrete and woodwool ceilings form a datum against which existing services are left exposed, communicating the economy of the project. These are overlaid with new lighting alongside upgrades to fire safety.

Affordable, readily available materials were used for floor finishes, joinery and reconfiguring spaces; these were elevated with bespoke stained and painted finishes to bring richness to every-day construction techniques. In the gallery a timber floor was revealed and restored, and recycled netting is stretched over the ceiling to obscure existing finishes. At the entrance level a new bookshop forms the main point of arrival. Within this space we designed a range specialist joinery items that are finished with a rich green stain creating a memorable, visual identity for the space.

+  Client Statement

“Having space in the building to come together is invaluable to our growing creative community, enabling members, artists, other local organisations, and residents to work together. This project has supported the expansion of The NewBridge Project; running studios, workshops, weekly Youth Programme sessions, Coffee Mornings and Saturday Socials as well as a busy public programme of artist development and exhibitions.

Our communal space and gallery are the heart of the building, enabling us to do ambitious work with care at the forefront of all our methods. We worked closely with Topo Architects throughout the retrofit of the offices to transform dated, impractical spaces into an accessible and vibrant place for many different creative and social activities. It is a space where our members can work and meet, where community meals and celebrations such as Eid are hosted, deepening the connections between artists, local residents and all the other people that make NewBridge home.”