Winning renaissance for ex-industrial building

A LANDMARK former industrial building which was transformed into a mixed-use development has won the 2010 Renaissance Award.

Fort Dunlop, the old tyre factory next to the M6 five miles outside of Birmingham city centre, picked up the prize which is run by the Birmingham Civic Society to recognise restoration projects from the past year.

Fort Dunlop was originally designed in the 1920s by Sidney Scott and WW Gibbings as a car tyre warehouse and was redeveloped by Manchester-based Urban Splash into a 350,000 sq ft complex containing offices, shops, a 100-bedroom hotel and bars.

Chairman of the Civic Society’s planning committee Paul Lister said: “It’s a great example of Birmingham’s industrial architectural heritage but had been left redundant and neglected for over 20 years.

“The conversion of Fort Dunlop by Urban Splash represents a brave and imaginative transformation of this massive structure in a truly sustainable way.

“The success of this project is brought about through a winning combination of an enlightened client employing a brilliant architect to develop an imaginative brief for a great building on a landmark site.

“It is a totally successful marriage of the historic and the modern in a tough but stylish industrial aesthetic that should preserve this architectural gem for future generations.”

Judges praised the circular well driven through the centre of the building, the setting back of the glazing of the external elevations and the use of the flat roof.

A commemorative brown plaque, presented to Urban Splash at the society’s annual meeting and lecture, will be displayed at the entrance of the building

Picture from left: Director at Urban Splash Midlands and the South West Nathan Cornish, chairman of Birmingham Civic Society David Clarke and chairman of Birmingham Civic Society’s planning committee Paul Lister.

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