Following on from our fantastic work at Auckland Castle, Meldrum were also appointed as main contractor for the creation of an art Gallery dedicated to Spanish Art in central Bishop Auckland. 

The £9.8m project is to house exhibitions of Spanish art from Medieval times through to the present day, with a focus on the 17^th Century – known as the Golden Century or ‘Siglo de Oro’ of Spanish art & literature.

Key Features

• Refurb of the existing Backhouse & Barrington buildings, and an extension to the rear of the properties & external works
• Mechanical & electrical services are critical to this project to ensure the required conditions are met within the gallery areas. Stringent security measures need to be built in to the new and existing building fabrics and there is 6-month conditioning period to take place following completion – this is in order to make sure the gallery is granted the correct insurance backing that will allow high level artwork to be loaned from other galleries.
• Comprehensive works to stabilise the existing buildings to allow the removal and replacement of the structural floors. 3 sections of underpinning along with extensive propping design.
• Full design scaffold incorporating a roof tent to allow the roof fabric to be removed and replaced along with security enhancement measures.

The Spanish Gallery comprises of 10 exhibition spaces over three floors, including a dramatic top-lit double-height space for some of the larger pieces, as well as a conference space, restaurant and gift shop.  The project is also in partnership with a Durham University research centre; this will link new academic study to the new gallery’s exhibition programme thus creating a space for students and the public to visit and enjoy.