Seaburn Shelter

Project Overview

The scheme utilised the existing promenade shelter and includes a new upper level designed with transparency in mind to maximise and enhance sea views from and throughout the building. One large restaurant was provided at first floor level along with a series of smaller units on the promenade available to let. The development hopes to be the catalyst and a benchmark for the Seaburn seafront regeneration master plan with an initial £10.0m investment. The development contains a 600m2 restaurant / bar development for House of Zen at first floor level and a new RNLI headquarters / public toilets and changing facility accessible from the promenade. This design proposal was submitted as part of a design competition ran by Sunderland City Council with the winning design supported through the planning process. Once full planning approval had been granted the construction was then completed by Meldrum Group under a design and build contract.

As part of the refurbishment works we designed a new light weight structure to be built on top of the existing concrete structure forming the new bar and restaurant space at road level. We were appointed by Meldrum Group to help take the initial scheme designs through to detailed design stage and then eventually to construction. There were a number of challenges that needed to be overcome which included building above an existing concrete structure known as ‘The Shelter’ and locations of underground drainage at promenade level which involves a pumping station, a main storm sewer that runs beneath the external terrace at Whitburn Road and a rising main that runs through the building.

Awards:

IStructE Northern Counties Structural Awards (Large Project): Highly Commended