The Sage theatre, Gateshead just after sunset.
The Sage Gateshead contains three performance spaces; a 1,700-seater, a 400-seater and a smaller rehearsal and performance hall. The rest of the building was designed around these three spaces for their acoustic properties. Structurally it is three separate buildings, insulated from each other to prevent noise and vibration travelling between them. These three buildings are enclosed by the now-famous glass and steel shell. Hall One was intended as an acoustically perfect space, Its ceiling panels may be raised and lowered and curtains drawn across the ribbed wooden side walls, changing the sound profile of the room to suit any type of music. Hall Two is a smaller venue, possibly the world's only ten-sided performance space. The building's concourse was designed to be used for informal music-making. Below the concourse level is the Music Education Centre, where workshops, community music courses and day-to-day instrumental teaching takes place.
Location: Gateshead quayside
Photographer: brian swales
