Wednesday 27 March 2013

In Praise of Shadows

Today's xsite is Anna...

We are very pleased to be involved with Nicola Singh and her upcoming project In Praise of Shadows, taking place on the 18th April. Set in the beautiful Charlton Bonds building on Waterloo Street, it is a performance that explores the way we interact with, create and are affected by the architecture of our cities.  Tickets are now on sale and you can read more about the project below. Hopefully see you there!

Thursday 18th April, Charlton Bonds, 18 Waterloo Street, Newcastle, NE1 4DE
Tickets: £8.50 includes limited edition print
Book Here


In Praise of Shadows invites an audience to explore how architectural sites can shape, and be captured by sound.

In a building in Newcastle’s city centre that has been empty for almost 8 years, a meter-diameter hole has been cut out between two floors. An entirely acoustic performance of experimental music will take place across this hole, with the audience seated on the ground floor and performers on the first.

Some of the UK’s most well-respected and exciting musicians will perform strings, brass, woodwind and percussion alongside choral and solo vocals, exploring the full range of sonic possibilities of this altered space. Musicians include Rhodri Davies, Paul Dunmall, Chris Greive, Impossibility Knox (Gwilly Edmondez and Greta Buitkute), Mark Sanders, Nicola Singh and Sue Tompkins. Following the performances, Tim Bailey, partner at xsite architecture, will expand upon ideas of acoustics and their space in architectural practice in a brief lecture.

In Praise of Shadows is first in a series of ambitious new projects by Nicola Singh that explore the ways in which we interact with, create and are affected by the architecture of our cities. In Praise of Shadows is commissioned by Wunderbar and produced in partnership with xsite architecture.

  





Wednesday 13 March 2013

Rivers House

Today's xsite is Robin...

Our office fitout project at Rivers House, in Middlesbrough, is approaching completion. Following on from the 2 Hudson Quay project for the same Client, Fabrick Housing, this fitout features a new customer contact centre for the housing association, a totally revamped reception area, lettings and interview rooms, and office space for 93 staff members.  

The design for the office space is influenced by the stages of the River Tees, and features a palette of materials and colours which reflect specific locations of the river.  Large scale photographs taken by staff members are to be printed onto storage walls, and the colours of the furniture have been selected by the theme for each area. 




Thursday 7 March 2013

Ouse Street Arts Club

Today's xsite is Anna...

We're the the process of curating Ouse Street Arts Club full of exciting events for 2013. Last year saw an architectural Summer School, an Art Mart, a cinema, Grazer Supperclubs and a few different exhibitions.

Building on this for the coming year, we already have plans for a temporary games arcade as part of The Late Shows, a pop-up sewing cafe, more exciting Supperclubs, exhibition launches, The Northern Design Festival and Ouseburn Open Studios...

If you are interested in using the space for an event or exhibition please get in touch. 

You can email using anna@xsitearchitecture.co.uk or ousestartsclub@gmail.com

http://ousestreetartsclub.wordpress.com/




Tuesday 5 March 2013

Short Listed...

Today's xsite is Richard...

Through heavy discussion and a shaky understanding of timescales but with a cracking idea, myself (xsite) and a couple of friends Nicholas Bastow (FaulknerBrowns) and Joseph Goodwin (POD) have successfully reached the short-listing stage of an international competition. 

Run by Trimo and called Trimo Urban Crash, the brief was to design a sustainable bicycle hub on a site next to one of Ljubljana’s (Slovenia) busiest cycle routes. The brief desired a stop-off cafe, bicycle repair station and wi-fi hot spot. Our design emerged to provide these services whilst also suggesting a ‘pop-up’ screening space and performance area on the roof. 

We are really excited about our project and I would like to ask anyone interested to take a moment and vote for our project 20436. The link is below. The winning entry receives the honour of having their design constructed later this year, which is an amazing opportunity for three budding architects. So please take the time, and support a design borne in Newcastle to achieve recognition and realisation in the beautiful city of Ljubljana.