Changemakers

Today's xsite is Nita...

xsite are pleased to be part of the Changemakers programme, which links businesses with young people between the ages of 17 and 25 to undertake joint projects over a 6 month time frame. Our project will focus on the Ouseburn, young people and regeneration. Project ideas so far include a chill out space, temporary art work, workshops with local young people and an arts festival.

Our changemaker is Alysia Todd, 17, who attends Newcastle College. She is passionate about drawing and would like to use this project to help other young people tap into their creative side.

Last week Alysia and myself attended a Changemakers residential in Chester with around 15 other young people and their representatives within the host organisations. It took me well out of my comfort zone (I hadn’t done role play since high school!) but was a lot of fun and a fantastic opportunity to meet some really interesting people.

For more information on Changemakers go to the link below and for more information on our Changemakers project watch this space!

www.changemakers.org.uk

Pasqualinos

Today's xsite is Adrian...

Last month saw the opening of xsite’s latest project for the De Giorgi family’s Gusto Group. Having worked with Joe, Aldo and Cristina to design and deliver some of Newcastle’s best loved bars and restaurants over the last 10 years – Intermezzo, Popolo, Secco and Alvino’s – the latest to open is Pasqualinos in the City’s newly refurbished Theatre Royal. While the theatre itself has been returned to it’s original Edwardian splendour, the former box office on Market Street has been transformed into a contemporary Italian bar and kitchen, looking to break the mould again for food and drink in the city.

The interior is a collaboration between the client, xsite and Reluctant Hero, the Newcastle based creative studio responsible for the Pasqualinos brand. A retro-industrial, mid-century-Italian, cut and paste aesthetic runs throughout, from the vintage metal seats and galvanised steel cargo lights through to Reluctant Hero’s layered up ceiling artwork and the leather banquette and booth seating.  

Showing admirable commitment to the cause team xsite have already made it our business to get fully acquainted with the food and cocktail menus - never off duty us!   

Waitrose coming soon...

Today's xsite is Adrian...

The xsite designed Waitrose store on Osborne Road in Jesmond, Newcastle is well on its way to completion and is due to open its doors on 2nd November. The prominent site, a former petrol station, had been derelict for a number of years and its redevelopment has been eagerly anticipated. The building will house offices and warehousing on its upper floors and at street level a convenient, neighborhood, kinda baby-sized Waitrose store.

We can’t wait.       

Invisible Architectures Festival

Today's xsite is Nita...

The Invisible Architectures Festival, curated by Will Schrimshaw, was held on 9-11 September. xsite designed and constructed the meeting point for the festival, a bright red stall which could be easily erected and taken down each day. xsite have worked with Will on the project since he joined us for a Creative Residency earlier in 2011.

Invisible Architectures featured a number of local and international artists, brought together by Will, and focused on the non-visual side of Newcastle’s city centre: sound, ants, textures and more... The events were free and open to the public.  I participated in the Rhythymanalysis tour on the Saturday afternoon, a fascinating introduction to the concept of the ‘sound walk’. Over 2 hours we mapped the soundscape of Old Eldon Square, studied the way people moved through spaces and popped a balloon in an underpass to see how sound echoed within the space...

Overall the festival was a huge success and we hope to see it happening again in the future- bigger and better!

http://subliminalcity.co.uk/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1803521@N22/pool/