Sage Gateshead
See the Unusual building design of the week series here.
Sage Gateshead is a music education and concert centre located on the south bank of the River Tyne in Gateshead. Designed by Foster and Partners and completed in 2004, the building is an example of high-tech architecture and 'blobitecture'.
The building comprises three performance spaces which are acoustically independent, separated from one another to prevent noise transfer. Due to strong coastal winds, and a sometimes inclement climate, it was decided to group the structures together under a single protective cover.
The three independent, reinforced concrete structures containing the performance spaces are expressed on the outside by the undulation of the roof. To improve the acoustic performance of the structures, a specially-designed 'spongy' concrete mix was used with an increased air capacity.
The curved shell roof is made of 3,500 sq. m of trapezoidal glass panels and 3,043 stainless steel panels. Reaching a height of over 40 m, the shell roof is supported by four steel arches with a span of 80 m. The roof wraps in organic curves around the structures it contains, but does not touch them.
As well as rejuvenating the former industrial wasteland of the Tyne south bank, the building has received awards for its use of cutting-edge technology, structural design and acoustic engineering.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Blobitecture.
- Building of the week series.
- Centre Pompidou.
- Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
- Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.
- High-tech architecture.
- Kunsthaus Graz.
- London Design Museum.
- MAAT, Lisbon.
- Megastructure.
- National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing.
- Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum.
- Norman Foster.
- Rose Museum.
- Royal Albert Hall.
- Scottish Parliament Building.
- The Atomium.
- The Louvre.
- Titanic Belfast.
- Unusual building design of the week.
- Zenith de Strasbourg.
Featured articles and news
Building Safety Regulator reforms
New roles, new staff and a new fast track service pave the way for a single construction regulator.
Cooling centres and cool spaces
Managing extreme heat in cities by directing the public to places for heat stress relief and water sources.
Winter gardens: A brief history and warm variations
Extending the season with glass in different forms and terms.
Restoring Great Yarmouth's Winter Gardens
Transforming one of the least sustainable constructions imaginable.
Construction Skills Mission Board launch sector drive
Newly formed government and industry collaboration set strategy for recruiting an additional 100,000 construction workers a year.
New Architects Code comes into effect in September 2025
ARB Architects Code of Conduct and Practice available with ongoing consultation regarding guidance.
Welsh Skills Body (Medr) launches ambitious plan
The new skills body brings together funding and regulation of tertiary education and research for the devolved nation.
Paul Gandy FCIOB announced as next CIOB President
Former Tilbury Douglas CEO takes helm.
UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy. In brief with reactions
With the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
The Grenfell Tower fire, eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
The benefits of engaging with insulation manufacturers
When considering ground floor constructions.
Lighting Industry endorses Blueprint for Electrification
The Lighting Industry Association fully supports the ECA Blueprint as a timely, urgent call to action.