A bold reimagining

The centre for cities and architecture which opened to the public in April 2023, is one of six buildings in the region in the running for the prestigious prize.

Owen Hopkins, Director of the Farrell Centre said: “We are delighted that the Farrell Centre has been shortlisted for the RIBA North East Awards. The building boldly reimagines an historic structure that had fallen out of use and disrepair, transforming a closed, inward-facing building into one that is welcoming and accessible, whilst upgrading its services and thermal performance. We hope it resonates as much with the RIBA judges as it has with our visitors.”

RIBA North East Jury Chair, Amy Waite, Associate Director at Mikhail Riches said: “These projects all represent a desire to make an impact on and improve their communities; from state-of-the-art university buildings in Teesside, new infrastructure for Sunderland and the Farrell Centre in Newcastle.

“A strong focus on reuse and embodied carbon underpins many of the schemes – setting the bar for how to deliver quality without compromising on sustainability.”

Vital conversation

The Farrell Centre was instigated by renowned architect-planner and Newcastle University graduate Sir Terry Farrell, and forms part of Newcastle University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. It is located in a four-storey Victorian building on Eldon Place which was transformed in a £4.6 million building project. Its mission is to widen the debate around the crucial roles that architecture and planning play in the contemporary world and ensure that everyone has a voice in this vital conversation.

Since it opened the centre has hosted a number of exhibitions. The latest Concrete Dreams, which runs until June, looks at how Tyneside was transformed during 1960s and 1970s and how we might reimagine the city of today.

All projects shortlisted for RIBA Awards will be visited by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced later this spring.

The winners will then be considered for several RIBA Special Awards, including the RIBA Sustainability Award and RIBA Building of the Year, before being considered for a highly coveted RIBA National Award, which will be announced in summer.

The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize – the UK’s best new building – will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects and announced in September. The Stirling Prize winner will be announced in October.