Should we bulldoze Birmingham’s New street? Demolish the glass monoliths in the city centre? As the city rides a new wave of development and investment, three leading British architects give their view have exclusively shared their design likes and dislikes about the city.
Birmingham needs higher densities, less signature buildings and better connectivity and public realm, say Sir Terry Farrell, Ken Shuttleworth and Glenn Howell.
Brindleyplace designer Sir Terry Farrell said his favourite Birmingham buildings included Regency House on Waterloo Street and Philip Hardwick’s empty Curzon Street railway station. Pet hates include the Castle Vale housing estate, which is now mainly regenerated, and the “various glass monoliths in the city centre”.
Farrell said he has concerns about some current designs. “I have concerns that some of the new architecture lacks a sufficiently contextual response, which creates a more undifferentiated city that then takes away more context and risks the city losing what makes it unique. There should be less of an emphasis on signature buildings. There is a need for background and street buildings to re-establish civic fabric.”
Meanwhile, Make founder and Birmingham-born Cube architect Ken Shuttleworth said the city needed to move away from the “bland, and generic glass boxes that could be anywhere”. He added: “I would [also] take a bulldozer down New Street to take out the signage and the kiosks. Put in trees. Make it a boulevard.”
The city needs far fewer roads and car parks and more public spaces, says Glenn Howells of the eponymously named firm. “Public spaces will heal the scars left by the inner-city motorway. We shouldn’t be proud Birmingham is the most car-friendly city,” he said.
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