The Spatial Amnesia

Newcastle University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle upon Tyne

Project idea

In the heart of our cities lie forgotten stories and histories buried beneath layers of concrete and steel. The urban landscape constantly evolves, with new buildings replacing old ones and entire neighbourhoods transformed in the name of progress. But what happens when this process erases the memories and identities of the city and its inhabitants?
This phenomenon is known as spatial Amnesia, a condition in which a place's historical and cultural significance is lost or forgotten, leading to a loss of memory and spatial identity disorder. This loss can result in a disconnection from the place's past, leading to a lack of understanding of the place's identity and cultural heritage. The significance of this project lies in its potential to shed light on the effects of urban development and transformation on preserving the historical memory and identity of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Project description

This design is the physical translation of how architecture can encounter the spatial amnesia phenomenon through its contribution to making mnemonic incubators across the city that preserve the existence of current and demolished buildings, as well as authentically document the urban transformation in the built environment in the face of the radical urban regenerations. Every stage of the history of the built environment matters and deserves documentation.
The proposed design consists of a series of buildings that reform the site's industrial heritage, functioning as a gallery for those destroyed buildings and an indoor and outdoor museum for the ruins of lost buildings. The Spatial Amnesia Galleries and Museums illustrate a looped journey from the industrial period until the sustainable end, providing an investigation into the urban identity of Newcastle in the 21st century as a response to Spatial Amnesia. This project consists of four main parts: the research centre, the Museum of Spatial Amnesia, the Building's Graveyard, and educational facilities and services.
• The Museum of Spatial Amnesia is a testament to the tangible and intangible manifestations of swiftly evolving and dramatically altering morphological urban designs. This museum showcases the dynamic evolution of the urban environment through its displays of holographic models, well-preserved authentic replicas, and miniature architectural components.
• Building's Graveyard affirms an aggressive urban renewal process that erases the existing while pledging a future untethered to historical foundations, substituting a negative heritage with a replacement policy over addition. The Graveyard is positioned underground deliberately, ensuring unimpeded visual continuity between Newcastle and Gateshead. This segment explicitly conserves substantial large-scale fragments of buildings alongside select architectural relics.
• The Research Centre functions as an academic and instructional establishment, substantiating the significance of conserving buildings in their capacity to uphold collective memory. It facilitates engagement among individuals, users, the broader public, stakeholders, and council officials to deliberate, reassess, and delineate the trajectory of prospective demolitions concerning existing structures. This Centre is born from the adaptive reuse of an abandoned warehouse on the site; the Research Centre leverages its industrial ambience to echo the city's identity.
• The Educational Facilities and Services cater to individuals interested in studying urban morphology and architecture. These amenities encompass an Auditorium, Lecture Rooms, Library, and workshop areas. Their fundamental objective revolves around cultivating awareness regarding the concept of spatial Amnesia.
Ultimately, the significance of this project lies in its potential to inspire a deeper understanding of the complexities of spatial Amnesia and its implications for urban identity and cultural heritage.

Technical information

The construction of the project is mainly built from concrete and steel.