The Coliseum, Morpeth

The transformation of The Coliseum, Morpeth, was a rare opportunity to reimagine a historic building as a contemporary bouldering centre and a key community asset for training, fitness and events.

From the outset of the project, Design North, part of Architects-Group, approached the project as an exercise in adaptive reuse with purpose, bringing the first ever bouldering centre to Northumberland. Instead of imposing a new architectural language, the project sought to celebrate the building’s history, giving a new meaning to the name and reimaging the building as a modern arena of physical activity.  Located in the centre of Morpeth, the centre aims to bring together the local and wider community, providing a space for exploration, learning and interaction.

The Coliseum was believed to have been constructed in the 1920s, designed by the Architect C. Franklin Murphy, who also designed several other local buildings including the original Sanderson Arcade. When it first opened, the Coliseum was a cinema, with its use later changing to bingo hall and more recently, a nightclub. The main east façade showcases the resurgence in investment in architecture brought to Morpeth by the turn of the 20th century, with the use of stonework for decorative purposes, most notably large quoins, on door surrounds and keystones to window lintels. To respect the historic grain of the building the new entrance was designed with the same proportions and materials as the existing.

The main entrance has been redesigned creating a welcoming and functional space with a reception area and retail space. Internally the existing double height volume of the former auditorium provided a perfect space for indoor climbing, now a dynamic and exciting space. Several bouldering walls are arranged with zones reset weekly for continual challenges. A mezzanine level provides a relaxation area as well as somewhere to spectate, close to the action. Additional facilities such a gym and café space cement the project as a fitness destination. A simple palette of perforated plywood runs throughout the building, giving a cohesive appearance and providing a subtle backdrop to the vibrant wall grips.

Opening to the public earlier this year, the Coliseum is already a huge success, providing a dynamic and vibrant space to climb for all ages and abilities, a real asset to Morpeth and Northumberland.