One of the more recent buildings that I was responsible for designing was a leisure centre for East Northamptonshire Council. Unfortunately, due to Government spending cuts, the project was axed just as it was due to be tendered by three contractors. The design made reference to a shoe factory that stood in close proximity to the site - the factory informed the expressive pitched roof which, in turn, became a vehicle for natural way finding for the scheme.
I was told one afternoon by a colleague about an apparently disused pitched roof building that he often passed on his way into the studio. He added that it was run down. Sold.
Our studio is located approximately 8 miles from the centre of Newcastle on an industrial estate that was destined for better things (named after the great Robert Stephenson, no less). The site of the 'pitched roof building' lies only a ten minute drive away.
The building is on the fringe of East Holywell in Tyne and Wear and is surrounded by a series of dilapidated buildings all enclosed by pretty sharp chainlink fencing (made sharp by the several successful attempts of trespassers gaining entry - their 'doorways' subsequently being patched up by further bits of chainlink).
It took me approximately half-an-hour to find a hole in the fence that I thought large enough to crawl through, camera in tow. Since there were 'no trespassing' signs dotted around the estate I waited in my car until the coast was adequately clear - the site, unfortunately, lies adjacent to seemingly popular dog walking and cycling route. I had to push several bits of debris from behind the opening in the fence which included bramble bushes and all sorts - clearly placed there to stop intruders (I replaced them on my way out).
Once inside the fence I was hit by that almost feeling of being somewhere you shouldn't be. I've had the same feeling before - think it was when I met Karen...! I took small steps and crept around this huge open area fearing more for bear-traps than anything else. You should see rural Geordies.
I didn't do any research before I arrived at the site since I didn't clearly know what I was going to see - I had been directed to the location on a pixelated Google map.
The site was that of East Holywell Colliery (colloquially know as the Fenwick Pit). The first of the two coal pits which the buildings served was opened in 1872 and closed in 1930 with the second pit closing in 1973. The site has been disused, other than for budding graffiti artists, ever since.
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