We are thrilled and honored to announce that Blackfriars Cloister Garden, a project that spanned over four years from 2020 to 2023 won a Lord Mayors Design Award in the Landscape Category last week.
Blackfriars is a 13th century Dominican Friary situated in Newcastle City Centre. The associated cloister buildings were restored in the late 20th century and are now home to a variety of businesses, including Blackfriars Restaurant which is owned by our client, Andy Hook.
The cloister garden, a largely open area known as “Friars’ Green”, was cleared by archaeology and conservation experts in the 1970. Shortly after (between 1970-1980) the cloister garth was landscaped by Newcastle City Council and laid out to suggest a medieval form. Central to the cloister garden is a mature and impressive black walnut, protection of which was a crucial part of the project design.
Southern Green were appointed to redesign the historic cloister garth to create new space that would be sensitive yet vibrant, fully accessible, and an inviting and memorable destination. The brief focussed heavily on the rich heritage of the site (Grade I listed building and Scheduled Monument) and before work could even commence, an archaeological watching brief was required for all excavations as part of the works, to ensure there was no damage to previously uncovered sensitive remains or artefacts.
We are extremely proud of the scheme, and feel honoured to have been involved in such an important restoration of this outstanding historic piece of city centre public realm, which will be enjoyed for generations to come.
Comments from client Andy Hook: -
“We have been passionately promoting Blackfriars unique heritage for over two decades now. The (Cloister Garden) project has routinely received fantastic feedback from guests, diners, visitors, locals, tourists, walking tours and staff as well as stakeholder organisations such as the City Council and their planning, conservation and property departments, the City’s archaeologists, NGI, NE1 and Historic England.
The garden has been featured on NGI’s New Adventures media channels, NE1’s Get into Newcastle, High Life North, The Chronicle, Appetite Magazine, VenueScanner as well as numerous mentions on social media channels.
The outcome is better than I could have ever imagined.”
Read more from Newcastle Councils press release Lord Mayor's Design Awards
Read our previous blog - Green Light For Blackfriars
