Photourbanism’s Weblog

I photographed the SAGE centre for FM World magazine in late September. It was the first time that I had really paid much attention to the building and I thought that it was pretty cool. I like the fact that internally there are three discreet structures. The two main music halls, One and Two and the smaller Northern Rock Foundation Hall. The three structures are acoustically separated, literally by a few millimetres and the glazed envelope forms an enclosed public space. A path leads through the space and allows people to walk along the Tyne to the Baltic which is not far up river, but also to use the space in much the same way as a street with a cafe, bar and rest areas. Walking through this building I was struck by the very similar experiences I had when visiting London’s City Hall and 30 St Mary’s Axe. There is a definite spatial signature and the attention to detailing was likewise very tight. It is quite surprising that the back of house area is quite small; offices, stores and dressing rooms. One of the key design features at this level seems to be the public bars at the front of the building. These are used by both artists and audience and add to the informal atmosphere of the buidling. Proximity to the Tyne Bridge and the river itself is a reminder of how compact Newcastle is and there is a clear view through to the city. When I was there, an installation of Beat Streuli photographs was also in place. A second highlight of the trip was also the High level Bridge and my walk up, almost straight up, from the river level up to the castle.