Brindleyplace, Birmingham
1990-1992
Brindleyplace lies immediately next to Birmingham's National
Indoor Arena and International Conference Centre. It is central to
the strategic plan to expand the city centre westwards and raise its
national and international profile. The scheme had particular importance
as the first piece of Birmingham, beyond the confines of the ring road,
that had been deliberately planned to create a good pedestrian realm
since the second world war. The development accommodates extensive
new office and shopping space, entertainment and leisure facilities
and a major hotel, and restores important local landmarks.
The masterplan reinforces the new civic axis between the city centre
and the convention centre, projecting it to the centre of the site
and terminating in a new city square. This square acts as a focus for
routes linking the various parts of the site with one another and with
the major civic amenities already provided around the perimeter.
The 1991 Terry Farrell and Partners' masterplan gave Brindleyplace
a strong sense of character and historical continuity. The main principle
behind TFP's work was the creation of a complete pedestrian network.
Within the site, the planning of the pedestrian routes, a series of
urban spaces, has been dictated by three existing axes on the site – the
axis of the main mall of the International Convention Centre, which
was projected, by the creation of new canalside spaces, into the centre
of the site; the axis along the existing Oozells Street; and an axis
from the new roundabout on Sheepcote Street, which provided vehicle
access to the site. The new square provided a heart for the area; a
high-level route linked to offices and shops; and a bridge connected
to a leisure area. The canal edge was linked to the rest of the city
by existing and proposed pedestrian bridges. The industrial relics
of the area were integrated into the masterplan and three listed buildings
were retained as focal points in the scheme.
The dynamism of TFP's design provided the foundations for the
masterplan successfully implemented by developers Argent.
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