The Pragmatic Role of Iconic Buildings in Promoting Social Engagement: A Case Study of Sage Gateshead Music Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Creating cultural-led iconic buildings has become a model that political and economic institutions seek to present a cultural narration of a transformation of local economics associated with urban regenerations. Symbolic appearance has been laid much emphasis on iconic buildings, as it tends to attract visual consumers rather than actual users. However, the question is after iconic buildings have attracted people, what they can do next to function well. Thus, to a cultural-led iconic building, there should be a pragmatic role in developing social life other than a symbolic role only. This article intends to explore the pragmatic role of cultural-led iconic buildings in promoting social engagement – first, how the idea of social engagement takes part in the way of searching for the design concept, and second, how the building actually functions to improve social engagement in everyday life. Sage Gateshead music centre is a key project in the regeneration of Newcastle-Gateshead quayside in the Northeast England. The symbolic form of the building is not the only issue that the architect took into account; the idea of social engagement was also taken into the consideration of finding the design concept, as it is conceptually proposed to create an “Urban Living Room”, and this concept was technically inscribed in spatial forms. The actual experience in the building is in some way echoing the design concept. The building performs exactly as an “Urban Living Room” where diverse events happen and different social groups encounter. Therefore, Sage Gateshead Music Centre acts as a positive example that interprets the pragmatic role of iconic buildings in promoting social engagement.