South Shields Town Hall, South Shields

Procured through the SCAPE framework, Sine Consulting provided M&E detailed design services for the Grade II Listed building.

The project involved the complete refurbishment of the existing buildings over several phases, to minimise impact on the civic duties of the town hall.

Buildings were fully rewired, with new lighting, lighting control and emergency lighting systems provided. New hot water, heating and cooling systems were also installed.

The final phase was the restoration of the Edwardian Building, with the primary aims of protecting/restoring building fabric, reducing energy usage and improving building aesthetics. Existing power and heating systems had to be maintained in operation throughout to ensure the original building fabric was not unduly stressed by fluctuations in internal temperatures.

Pipework and cable routes had to be carefully established to minimise disruption to existing building fabric and provide a concealed installation. The basement level contained all primary service runs with vertical risers established in strategic locations, which worked well to achieve a fully concealed installation.

Power, data and audio-visual outlets were concealed in floor boxes or within bespoke period feature casings which concealed the heating convector units, and made to match existing oak panelling and skirtings.

High efficiency LED lighting installations were provided, with hand-made bespoke luminaires designed to reflect the period used within key traditional spaces such as the Council Chamber, Reception Room and main staircase.

The reception room was a multi-use space, used for presentations, wedding ceremonies, civic receptions and meetings, and the lighting systems were required to meet these needs. Bespoke baroque style feature pendants with dual switching circuits were supplemented by recessed downlights with aged bronze bezels, made specifically to conceal existing penetrations through the ceiling. Linear LED tape lighting was concealed at high level in both the reception room and main staircase, which can be set to specific colours to compliment the event taking place.