£31m university building is topped out

A £31m university development in Birmingham has been officially topped out.

Contractor Wilmott Dixon was joined by staff and students from Birmingham City University for the traditional ceremony marking the end of construction of the Curzon B building.

The 100,000 sq ft extension to the Curzon Building, which will be home to 3,000 staff and students, has been under development since May 2016 and will open for use later this year.
 
As part of the project, students from the university’s Built Environment Faculty have been working alongside Willmott Dixon to gain real-life experience of the construction industry.
 
Professor Graham Upton, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University, said: “Curzon B will be the latest in a line of new buildings to open on our City Centre Campus, all of which have allowed us to keep providing students with even better facilities for the duration of their studies.  
 
“The fact that our students have been given the opportunity to play a part in developing this new building makes it even more pleasing for all of us here at the university.
 
“This part of the city has really grown and developed in recent years and it is fantastic to see it thriving, something which is set to continue with the arrival of HS2 and the Midland Metro on the horizon.”
 
The new building forms part of the university’s £260m investment into new facilities, a programme which will be strengthened with the opening of the new Birmingham Conservatoire later this year.
 
For Willmott Dixon, the development follows on from other recent projects at the university including the main Curzon Building and The Parkside Buildings.

Peter Owen, managing director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We are delighted to be working with Birmingham City University once again to deliver this brand new facility.
 
“Ongoing, active engagement with the university is a key driver for Willmott Dixon in ensuring that students are able to apply their learning to real live examples.
 
“As a result of our relationship with BCU we have facilitated over 3,000 students visiting the site; provided 10 paid placements, whilst three past students are now employed full time by Willmott Dixon in the Birmingham region.”
 
Curzon B has been designed by Birmingham-based Associated Architects and will sit alongside the city’s historic canals.

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