Spanish City

Project Description: Spanish City, Whitley Bay
Client: ADP

The project

ADP commissioned me to photograph the regenerated Spanish City in Whitley Bay.

The Spanish City is a collection of Grade II listed seaside pleasure buildings and grounds built in 1910. Located on the seafront, they remain a symbol of Whitley Bay’s civic history.

In its hey-day Spanish City attracted thousands of people from across the UK until it fell into disrepair and eventually closed in the 1990s.

My brief was to document the newly renovated building inside and out whilst encompassing the many historic features some of which had been lost in the 1970s but reinstated during the works.

Inside the original double height space of the Rotunda was reinstated and four new areas built at either end of the building. Copper perforated cladding panels were used to complement the material of the dancing ladies on top of the towers.

The building has been designed as a public space with restaurants, cocktail bar, tea room and ice cream parlour consequently it was important to capture the areas being used. Timings were tight between completion of the building work and a deadline for submission for a Civic Trust award and so I worked closely with the architects, construction company and the client in order to achieve the results which everyone desired. Interior and exterior photography took place during the day, sunset and twilight using conventional and panoramic techniques and at times using a ‘stitching’ technique in order to portray the size and scale of some areas.

Having been involved in this renovation from the start when I had access to document the stripped back building this project has been a real pleasure and will join the list of my most memorable and enjoyable commissions.

Some spectacular photos of our Spanish City project, which portray both the vast scale of the seaside setting, but also the finest, smallest detail – all in beautiful light that captures the essence of the place.”
(Roger FitzGerald, Chair of ADP)