The Glasshouse Gateshead
Hospitality and social
spaces refurbishment
Set within one of the region’s most recognised cultural venues, the refurbishment of the internal concourse at The Glasshouse (formerly Sage Gateshead) focused on unifying hospitality, social and shared public spaces while the building remained operational.
The project encompassed the restaurant, café, cocktail bar, concourse bar, dining areas, retail space, kiosk, box office and co-working areas, delivered as a full Cat-B fit-out with furniture. Works were carefully sequenced around live events, with noisy activity planned out of hours to minimise disruption to visitors and staff.
- Client: North Music Trust
- Building: The Glasshouse
- Area: 15,000 Sq ft
- Value: 620k
- Programme: 12 weeks
- Status: Complete
Works included:
A collaborative approach with the design and delivery team enabled extensive value engineering during post-tender stages, bringing the project within budget while maintaining the design intent. This included revised lighting schemes, alternative screens and furniture optimisation, generating significant cost savings agreed with the client, designers and project team.
The scope included bespoke joinery and steelwork such as a curved stainless-steel wrapped worktop and feature structures, new plumbing installations, and varied flooring tailored to use, including heavy carpet to hospitality areas, lighter finishes to working zones and non-slip surfaces to bar areas. Decorative elements included full-height curtains, banquette seating, bespoke mirrors, curved glazing and integrated furniture throughout.
The completed concourse now provides a cohesive and welcoming environment, supporting the venue’s ongoing role as a major cultural destination.
“On behalf of the rest of the team, I want to express how pleased we are with the quality of work delivered on the transformation of the concourse at Sage Gateshead. The team understood our design vision and budget, working closely with our designers and quantity surveyor to identify savings while retaining the aesthetic. I was particularly impressed by how the challenges presented by the pandemic were managed, keeping the site safe for both our team and theirs.”
Lindsay Tuck, Chief Operating Officer
