Beacon of Light

The Beacon of Light is a sports, community and education facility, in Sunderland. The £19m^[1] facility was commissioned by the Foundation of Light, and became the headquarters of the charity when it opened in September 2018. The beacon is in Stadium Park, alongside the Sunderland Aquatic Centre and the North Stand of the Stadium of Light.

Beacon of Light
Location within Tyne and Wear
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Sports & Education Centre
Location	Stadium Park, Sunderland
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°54′58.68″N 1°23′25.44″W
Construction started	5 October 2016
Completed	May 2018
Opened	14 September 2018
Cost	£19 million GBP
Owner	Foundation of Light
Height
Roof	26 metres (85 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	6
Floor area	11,140 m2 (119,900 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	2
Design and construction
Architect(s)	FaulknerBrowns
Structural engineer	s h e d
Main contractor	Tolent Construction

History

The Foundation of Light opened an education facility, The Centre of Light, within the Stadium of Light in 2004.^[2] The classrooms were a huge success, so much so that the Foundation outgrew them. This prompted Foundation chief executive Lesley Spuhler to look to commission a bigger venue.^[3]

The Beacon was given approval to begin construction in October 2015, and received financial support from the Tom Cowie Foundation, and Foundation of Light trustees Peter Vardy and Bob Murray.^[4] Further investors included the North East Local Enterprise Partnership,^[5] Arriva,^[6] and Tombola.^[7]

The Beacon was designed to provide both indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and spaces for both adult and school-level education. It can also support events and exhibitions, with a 2,084 Square metre exhibition space supporting a maximum capacity of 3,425.^[8] It is expected to serve up to 300,000 people per year.^[3]

Construction was complete in May 2018.^[9] The Beacon was opened in phases, with people able to use the football facilities from June 2018.^[10] It officially opened on 14 September 2018.

Facilities

Outdoor

• 6 outdoor Five-a-side football pitches with 3G turf
• Outdoor sports courts

Indoor

Level 0	12 Badminton courts 3 indoor courts for netball, Basketball and futsal
Level 1	Entrance & Cafe Sir Tom Cowie Education Zone The Vardy Heath and Wellbeing Zone, which will incorporate a Jamie Oliver cookery school [11]
Level 2	Foundation of Light Work Space Arriva 'World of Work' Zone [6]
Level 3	Beacon of Light School, a Free school with a capacity of 80 children.[12]
Level 4	Tombola Football Barn, including a 7-a-side football 4G pitch and the venue for Saturday FC.
Level 5	Rooftop viewing gallery

The Beacon is designed in a cube shape with a luminous roof which lights up at night.^[13]