News
Listed building status
English Heritage and the DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) announced on Thursday 15th December 2011 that Victor Pasmore’s Apollo Pavilion has been granted the prestigious award of Grade II* listed building status.
Grade II* status now places the Pavilion in the top 8% of all listed buildings, joining the likes of Middlesbrough’s Transporter Bridge, the London Coliseum and Eastbourne Pier.
The successful application for listed building status was submitted by the Apollo Pavilion Community Association (APCA) with assistance from John and Karen Topping, who are also the North East regional representatives for The Twentieth Century Society.
David Taylor-Gooby, chair of the APCA, said:
“This really is a great achievement for everybody who worked tirelessly to help secure the Pavilion’s restoration but also a proud moment in the recent history of Peterlee as a town.
“We now have something which has achieved national recognition, and which we should celebrate.
“The Apollo Pavilion’s restoration was due to the efforts of people who believed in Peterlee and wanted to do something to make their town better.
“The Pavilion is not some obscure artefact but something we should be proud of as it is an icon of our town.”
The restoration and conservation of the building by County Durham-based Burns Architects has already been honoured with a string of awards, including the Civic Trust Award in 2010 and RIBA Award earlier this year. The work was made possible thanks to a Heritage Lottery Grant awarded in 2008.
Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development at Durham County Council, said:
“The announcement of this listed status for the Apollo Pavilion gives the final seal of recognition to its importance both historically and culturally, not just in the local context of County Durham, but also in a wider national context.
“Modern art and architecture often divides public opinion, as is true in the case of the Pavilion. However, every period produces masterpieces, iconic examples of the style, and the listing is an acknowledgement that the Pavilion fits squarely into this category.
“The journey from its infamous past to the growing level of recognition it has now attained is on many levels a remarkable one.
“Though named after the Apollo moon landings which happened over 40 years ago, it is today that it has found its time and the people of Peterlee in particular can take pride in their Pavilion.”
My Apollo by Michael Dunn
My Apollo is an animated sequence of drawings that have been collaborated to create a moving piece of artwork which captures the audience and guides them on an emotional journey in and around Victor Pasmore's Apollo Pavilion.
As a third year architecture student, I was asked to create a personal project over my summer break. Thinking about how I would respond to this, I began thinking about important structures in my life. The first building that came to mind was the Apollo Pavilion. I have lived in Peterlee for 20 years and seen the Pavilion at its worst and now, at its finest. This animation is representative of the first time I actually went to the top of the Pavilion and I attempted to convey the emotions this invoked.
Michael Dunn.
View the animation - My Apollo.
2011 RIBA Awards
The Apollo Pavilion is one of just four projects in the North East to receive an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for excellence in architecture.
Colin Robson, Durham County Council Arts Officer, said:
“The pavilion has been a source of much debate in the past but this project has not just breathed new life into the structure, it has also seen it once again embraced by the local community.
“This latest award recognises the architectural quality and sensitivity of the work carried out as well as the positive impact on the surroundings, all of which has been influenced by the views of the residents.”
This is the fifth award the project to restore the Apollo Pavilion has collected since the capital refurbishments were completed in July 2009. In 2010, the Apollo Pavilion was one of 26 projects from across the UK and Ireland to receive an equally prestigious Civic Trust Award. The project was also awarded a commendation at the Building Excellence Awards North East and picked up two prizes at the 2010 Durham Environment Awards.
Launch of Friends
The Apollo Pavilion Community Association has formed the Friends of the Apollo Pavilion so that everyone who loves Victor Pasmore’s creation can play a part in sustaining its well-being and ensuring that it remains prominent in the public eye.
"Victor Pasmore's Apollo Pavilion at Peterlee was a pioneering work which has stood the test of time. Pasmore's vision for a more humane environment in the post-war world is one with which we can still identify. Pasmore saw the pavilion as a focal point in the community and I strongly support the work of the Friends' Asscoation in realising his ambition"
Sir Nicholas Serota, Director Tate Gallery
For further information go to the Friends of the Apollo Pavilion page.
Civic Trust Award 2010
The Apollo Pavilion is one of 26 projects from across the United Kingdom and Ireland to this year receive the prestigious Civic Trust Award.
The honour given to Durham County Council, the design team of Burns Architects, RNJ Construction Consultants, DTA Consulting Engineers and contractor Makers Freyssinet follows the work undertaken to repair and reinstate the structure’s original features and rejuvenate the surrounding park area.
The award, which was announced at a ceremony at St George’s Hall in Liverpool on Friday, 12 March, recognises the cultural, social and economic benefits of the scheme and its outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the environment.
Colin Robson, Durham County Council Arts Officer, said: “Receiving the award is a fantastic honour and we are extremely proud.
“It’s an acknowledgement not just of the physical improvements to the structure but also of the efforts by the council and the Apollo Pavilion Community Association to involve residents throughout the process and engage with young people through the education programme.”
Constructing Excellence North East Award
The Pavilion won a prestigious Constructing Excellence North East Award at a Gala Evening at Newcastle’s Marriott Hotel on Friday 7 May 2010.
With 74 entries over 13 categories the project won the Highly Commended Heritage Award sponsored by English Heritage.
Tony Burns, Principal of Burns Architects said;
“The CENE Award not only recognises the high conservation standards of the restoration of the Pavilion, but also the endeavors of local people to deliver a successful public project.”
The judges were particularly impressed with the conservation approach and the enthusiasm of the project team.
Durham Environment Awards
The restoration of the Apollo Pavilion picked up two honours at the Durham Environment Awards at the Gala Theatre in Durham on Monday 24 May.
The project received the Craftsmanship Award in acknowledgement of the exceptional work undertaken in repairing the concrete faces of the Pavilion.
The project also received a Community Partnership Award sponsored by Groundwork presented to representatives of the Apollo Pavilion Community Association and Durham County Council's Arts Team.