| Title: | Health Innovation Neighbourhood, Newcastle, UK |
| Client: | Joint venture between Newcastle University andGenr8 Kajima Regeneration |
| Status: | Ongoing |
| Team: | Gillespies, GSS Architecture, SHED, Biodiverse Consulting, Max Fordham, Pegasus Group, and Mosodi. |
The Health Innovation Neighbourhood (HIN) is set to be a world-leading model of mixed-use, inter-generational living. Our landscape-led masterplan addresses today’s societal challenges head-on, creating more liveable spaces that promote longer, healthier and happier lives.
Positioned on the site of the former Newcastle General Hospital, the development is the first of its kind in the UK, co-locating education, research, innovation, healthcare, workspace, and a range of residential dwellings onto one site, cementing Newcastle’s status as a leader in ageing research and innovation.
Our client’s ambition is to pioneer a vibrant, green, and interconnected community that sets new global standards for sustainability and well-being. Our conceptual masterplan regenerates the 29-acre brownfield site into an exciting, human-centric neighbourhood, with a clear focus on prioritising people, enhancing their interaction with nature, and facilitating meaningful connections between residents of all ages.
The masterplan introduces a diverse array of shared and productive public spaces, including community parklands, active green loops, bustling plazas, roof garden amenities, biodiverse rooftop gardens, interconnected green streets, and inviting cycle routes. These spaces cater to a range of needs—from recreation and exercise to social interaction and relaxation—promoting community vitality, bridging generational divides, and addressing social isolation
To encourage active participation and utilise all available space, our proposals introduce shared sports facilities, cafes, allotments, and urban farms at roof level. These spaces empower the community to take ownership and grow their own food in the heart of the city, fostering unity and engagement.
A comprehensive site-wide greening strategy integrates green and blue infrastructure elements to create a connected mosaic of habitats, enhancing resilience to climate change and promoting biodiversity. This includes the inclusion of wetlands, rain gardens, extensive tree planting, green and brown roofs, naturalistic parklands, and biodiverse planting. Together, these elements reduce noise and air pollution, fostering a cleaner, quieter, and more appealing environment that enhances people’s quality of life.
The integration of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), such as rain gardens, is pivotal in managing stormwater effectively, promoting water retention, and meeting Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets. Along the eastern boundary, a large linear attenuation system functions as both a rainwater collection point and a valuable ecological corridor.
Our planting strategy embraces a mix of native and non-native species to support pollinators, complemented by ornamental and naturalistic planting that enriches biodiversity and habitat diversity.
In line with our site-wide public realm design code, hard materials are chosen for their low embodied energy, local sourcing, and high recycled content.
The evolution of the former hospital site into a vibrant health and innovation neighbourhood respects its legacy as a centre for health, research, and innovation while evolving to meet a wide array of community needs.
