Design Advisor to the Newcastle City Futures exhibition David Mitchell (Design Advisor at Home Group) went above and beyond the call of duty by making these beautiful mini stands based on his and Dhruv Sookhoo’s (Head of Design at Home Group) designs.
This was ahead of meetings with the fabricators earlier this week so here’s a sneak preview of the exhibition, in miniature….!
How do you put an exhibition together when you don’t own any of the objects or materials?
Well, here at Newcastle City Futures we’re working with a number of partners… including James from the Byker Lives archive! James helped us locate some really fantastic images and he even found an original street sign for us to display. Come along from the 23rd to have a look – and to help us figure out who some of the people in the photos are!
You can also explore the archive here: http://bykerlives.com/
Thank – you James!
The exhibition will be installed in a few weeks, so on Friday 6th May we had our first team training session to learn how to handle objects. From train tickets to framed oil paintings to chairs – and with some expensive and fragile objects thrown in for good measure – the team held onto their nerves to check, record, move and display objects like pros. Now for the real thing!
One of the most interesting – and challenging! – aspects of the Newcastle City Futures exhibition and events series has been bringing so many individuals and organisations together.
It’s been fascinating making connections, meeting our partners (some old and established and some new), finding out about the different initiatives and activities going on across the city, and bringing it all together under one roof. The evening events series will definitely have something for everyone…
The individuals running the family workshops are brilliantly inventive and enthusiastic, it’s been a particular highlight to meet with them and hear their ideas. We’re sure they will keep your small ones (and not so small ones) entertained.
For all the events details have a look at our leaflet: NCF events series
On Wednesday 26th March our curator Emma Coffield spent the afternoon with Sarah Bouttell, Assistant Archivist & Librarian at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Sarah found some really incredible material for us, including photos of the arrival of the Millennium Bridge and this beautiful drawing of the original Baltic Flour Mill from 1947 – come along to the exhibition to see a full sized version!
You can also view an online version of the archive here (http://archive.balticmill.com/) or make an appointment to go in – we’d recommend a visit!
Join us to celebrate change and renewal in Newcastle and Gateshead since 1945 in a major new exhibition and series of interactive events.
Focusing on how we have always looked forward, Newcastle City Futures examines significant architectural and planning projects that have shaped and reshaped the city in the latter half of the 20th century and continue to do so in the 21st century. From the development of the Metro and the airport, to the building of Byker, the conservation of Grainger Town, the construction of the central motorway, the redevelopment of St James’ Park, the creation of the internationally-renowned Quayside, and to new projects in the Stephenson Quarter and Science Central, this is the story of how one place has continually evolved, and of the people of Newcastle and Gateshead who have been central players in that change and renaissance.
Featuring a rich variety of models, plans, information boards and photographs, some of which have never been on public display before, the exhibition will chart the forward-looking visions that have been a hallmark of Newcastle and Gateshead. This includes projects that were planned and built, and those that were unbuilt and never finished, such as the motorway under Northumberland Street, the Tyne Deck construction over the river, and ‘the Geordie Ramblas’.
Interactive elements will help you get a taste of what it feels like to be an architect and
planner, and there are opportunities to make your mark on the exhibition by identifying
those places and buildings in the city you love and loathe. Bring along the whole family
to create a vision of the future, or drop by and pick up a mini-planner pack for the kids!
The exhibition is supported by a comprehensive program of events, jointly hosted by
Newcastle University and its partners. We want to start a ‘big city conversation’ and engage everyone in debates about the city’s future, so take your pick from a range of free events, including film screenings, presentations and panel debates hosted by businesses, service providers, community organisations in the City Forum. The prefect opportunity to have your say and talk with those currently developing new plans and strategies for the future of Newcastle and Gateshead!
Professor Mark Tewdwr-Jones
Director, Newcastle City Futures
