As part of the winning bid led by North East developers, Robertson,
ADP has been appointed as the lead architect for the long-awaited £23m
regeneration of the Spanish City in Whitley Bay. The iconic Grade II
listed dome remains an integral part of the town’s history, despite
falling into disrepair, and the ambitious plans will give the site and
the town a new lease of life.
Built in the early 20th Century at the heart of the popular seaside town
of Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, the Spanish City once provided a wide
range of entertainment facilities, including winter pleasure gardens.
In its heyday, the building was a popular and vibrant facility that
remains close to the hearts of many local people today, both from
Whitley and further afield.
While the new scheme is respectful of Spanish City’s heritage, the
project successfully marries old and new to deliver a reinvigorated
mixed-use facility able to meet the contemporary needs of Whitley’s
residents and provide flexibility for the future.ADP's striking design hopes to return the Spanish City to its former
glory, with a full restoration of the original dome including its
loggias, or winter gardens, on either side of the dome itself. The
design demonstrates a number of key influences that draw upon Whitley's
heritage, including deck chairs, sails, kites and the former roller
coaster. ADP's choice of colour reflects the sea and the sky, and uses
reflections and ambient light to ensure the buildings will resonate with
the surroundings.
ADP's Partner in charge of the project, Charles Greenall, commented:
"For all of the team, this is an unparalleled opportunity to rejuvenate a
site that many of us, including myself, remember from our childhoods.
The first phase of the project is one of the most crucial - the full
restoration of the Spanish City dome. It's this restoration that is at
the heart and soul of our entire scheme. We want to return the dome to
pride of place in Whitley, and complement it with strong, high quality
contemporary architecture that allows the layers of history on this
fantastic site to be clearly visible."
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