2018 saw xsite mark our 18th birthday. As well as being able to enjoy a legal drink, we also managed to find plenty to keep ourselves busy over the year.
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| architects get to grips with the Lit and Phil |
February
saw us host an event as part of the RIBA’s Practice Role Model initiative with representatives
of 9 practices nationally converging on Newcastle for a weekend of building
visits, chewing the fat and the odd tipple.
April
brought us two wins in the North East RICS awards for the Wylam Brewery project
at The Palace of Arts in Newcastle’s Exhibition Park. The project then went on
to compete in the national awards later in the year in the Commercial and
Conservation project categories.
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| the after show |
Spring
saw us working once again with Wylam Brewery, this time on their By The River
Brew Co container community on Gateshead’s Hillgate Quay below the Tyne bridge.
16
weeks from start to finish, a herculean effort from all involved saw the
project finished in time for June’s opening of The Great Exhibition of The
North. The sun shone and Gateshead felt a little like Brooklyn.
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| By the River on Hillgate Quay (Time Freezer Photography) |
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| Ouseburn Farm |
We’re
a close knit bunch in the Ouseburn and the year has seen us continue to support
our neighbours at the Ouseburn Farm with their fundraising and capital
projects. Look out for exciting new developments down on the farm in 2019 and
please support their work if you can.
Projects
large and small completed through the year but perhaps the most significant was
the North East Futures UTC secondary school in Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter.
The 600 pupil, health sciences and digital technologies focused school marries
a new build block with the refurbishment of a Grade II listed locomotive
workshop, the result – we hope – is an inspiring place to learn and teach.
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| NEF UTC |
Our
resident star of the small screen Maral has continued her great work with a new
series of CBBC’s The Dengineers
hitting the screens this autumn.
We’re
looking forward to getting on site with projects in the pipeline for 2019
having gained planning approval this year including the Oak Meadows and Lower
Steenbergs Yard residential projects and a whole lot more.
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| Oak Meadows, Middleton St George |
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| Lower Steenbergs Yard |
Thanks
to everyone we’ve worked with this year and here’s to more of the same in 2019!