The Glasshouse

The Glasshouse is a concert hall on the banks of the Tyne in Gateshead, featuring three large performance spaces spread across multiple floors. The outer shell consists of curved glass walls supported by a steel framework, giving the building its distinctive profile.

Foster and Partners designed this venue as part of the Gateshead Quayside regeneration project, completed in December 2004. The construction aimed to transform the industrial riverbank into a cultural centre and attract new visitors to the area.

The Royal Northern Sinfonia has its permanent home here and gives concerts several times a week in different halls throughout the building. Alongside classical music, jazz evenings and folk music events take place, drawing a wide local audience.

The main hall seats 1,700 visitors and suits symphony orchestras, while the smaller hall with 400 seats is intended for chamber music and solo concerts. Both spaces feature special sound insulation that can be adjusted depending on the type of performance.

The three concert halls rest on rubber cushions that absorb vibrations and prevent sound from passing from one room to another. Thanks to this technique, events can take place simultaneously in all halls without the sounds interfering with each other.

Location: Gateshead

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Inception: December 17, 2004

Architects: Foster and Partners

Official opening: December 17, 2004

Architectural style: high-tech architecture

Floors above the ground: 7

Website: https://theglasshouseicm.org

GPS coordinates: 54.96770,-1.60200

Latest update: December 20, 2025 11:22