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Concrete Dreams explores Tyneside’s urban transformations

By Richard High, 10 December, 2024
An artist impression of Kenton Bar Estate, 1966. Image Courtesy of Newcastle City Library Local Studies Collections.

Newcastle’s Farrell Centre has launched "Concrete Dreams," an exhibition and project focused on Tyneside’s radical urban changes during the 1960s and 1970s. The programme, which runs until June 2025, features an exhibition, immersive installations, and events, all aimed at examining how the region was reshaped by modernist architecture and infrastructure projects.

In a statement, the centre said: “This project invites visitors to consider the city’s past, present, and future. We want to spark conversations about how the ideals of the 1960s and 1970s can guide the next phase of urban development.”

The exhibition, titled Brasília of the North, explores the ambitious plans to turn Newcastle into a modernist city inspired by Brazil’s capital, Brasília. It features a 6-metre-long model of Newcastle, architectural designs, maps, books, and photographs from the period. Visitors are encouraged to explore the changes that shaped the city and create their own narratives about the region’s development.

Manors Carpark photographed by Euan Lynn, 2021. Photo: Euan Lynn.
Metro sign at Monument Metro Station, early 1980s. Courtesy of FaulknerBrowns Architects.
Felling Swimming Baths designed by Napper Architects, c. 1964. Photo: Swinton Wood Photography. Image courtesy of Napper Architects and Somethingconcreteandmodern.org.uk.
Owen Luder's Trinity Square, Gateshead photographed Sam Lambert, 1967. Architectural Press Archive / RIBA Collections.
Killingworth Towers, c. 1980. Image Courtesy of Amber Collective.
T. Dan Smith in Cruddas Park, west end of Newcastle, 1960s. Image Courtesy of Amber Collective.
Jack Napper's vision for a 'Linear City', originally presented in Northern Architect, July 1965. Image courtesy of Napper Architects.
Byker Estate in Newcastle, designed by a team led by Ralph Erskine and built 1969–82. Photo: Euan Lynn.

Alongside the exhibition, artist Paula Strunden presents an immersive installation called Alison’s Room, based on the work of architect Alison Smithson. The installation offers a unique experience of Brutalist architecture, featuring a replica of Smithson’s designs and interactive elements.

The Farrell Centre is also running a series of events under the banner "This Was The Future," which includes expert talks and discussions on the legacies of local politician T. Dan Smith and the modernist vision for Tyneside. Walking tours will also be offered, allowing visitors to explore key sites in Newcastle's modernist history, such as the Civic Centre and the Central Motorway.

The centre’s engagement extends to local schools, where students will work with architects and artists to study buildings like the Byker Estate and Gateshead’s Trinity Square.

Concrete Dreams is free to visit and aims to provide a platform for reflection on how the ambitions of the past can shape a sustainable, inclusive future for the city.

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