Sneak peek at Sunderland's Culture House and what's on each floor

Ahead of the grand opening in Autumn, artists’ impressions of how some of the spaces inside the £27million development in Keel Square have been released.

Atrium & City Library

A key feature of the four-storey building will be The Atrium, an open plan space intended to be a “living room” where people can meet and relax.

It will stretch all the way from the ground floor to the roof of the building and will include digital screens that can be used for live performance streaming, digital art or immersive storytelling.

It will be home to the City Library, with a huge range of physical and digital books and magazines for people to enjoy, as well as state-of-the-art local history archives and genealogy resources.

Galleries

There will be a number of different galleries including the Immersion gallery a cutting edge 360-degree digital story telling space, a green screen studio, perfect for budding filmmakers, content creators and photographers.

Two podcasting studios will also be available for the public to hire alongside a series of workshops on podcasting techniques, storytelling and editing.

A large, adaptable event space will provide a home for talks, gigs, comedy shows and creative gatherings. There will also be an intimate performance area able to host anything from film screenings to gaming battles.

Three additional galleries will host a range of events and exhibitions throughout the year including the Focus gallery which will provide opportunities for local creatives to exhibit.

The first Focus exhibition will feature local creative collective Sunderland Indie and explore themes of sustainability.

Play area and teen space

For the little ones, as well as plenty of children’s books, there will be The Den – an area where they can play creatively and enjoy enchanting stories.

The Teen Library space has been co-created with young people using Minecraft as an engagement tool to incorporate their ideas. The space will reflect the young people's vison and include gaming stations, VR headsets, as well as cozy reading nooks and spaces to do homework.

Other highlights

The top floor will include a Sky Garden, described as “a lush rooftop oasis perfect for events, workshops or simply unwinding with stunning views.”

Two learning and engagement areas will host a range of classes and workshops throughout the year.

An inventor’s lab will provide a space to upcycle, repair and reinvent old treasures.

There will also be space for a high-quality restaurant and a retail outlet.

Cllr Beth Jones, Communities, Culture and Tourism Portfolio Holder at Sunderland City Council, said: “Culture House will be a fantastic addition to the city with a vast range of things to see, do and take part in, meaning that there really will be something for everyone.

“We can’t wait for our communities to be able to visit this spectacular new space, whether it’s to meet with friends, take part in classes, compete in gaming competitions or to enjoy top quality food.

“This, combined with the other complete and on-going developments at Riverside Sunderland, will make it a fabulous, vibrant area for both residents and visitors.”