World’s tallest octagonal skyscraper tops out in Birmingham

Andy Bushell of MEPC, Neil McGinty of CDL and Kevin Keegan of Midgard

The Octagon, Birmingham’s tallest building and first official skyscraper, has topped out, making it the tallest octagonal tower globally.

Backed by Singapore’s City Developments (CDL), the £110m project is being constructed by high-rise specialists Midgard, part of the JRL Group, and designed by Birmingham architects Howells.

Standing at 49 floors and 155 meters, The Octagon is a key feature of the £1.2bn Paradise estate, led by development and asset manager MEPC.

The first Build to Rent (BTR) apartments hope to be available in late summer 2025 after a three-year build.

The Topping Out ceremony gathered key partners, including CDL, MEPC, and Midgard, along with the project team and stakeholders, to celebrate the building’s peak.

Neil McGinty, director at CDL, said: “The original investment we made in the city with The Octagon was rightly recognised as one of the largest pieces of FDI made in the UK regions in recent years. That original investment has now come to fruition as we underline our commitment to Birmingham as a world-class, international destination with a strong regional economy.

“The Octagon is also about creating a new landmark for the city of Birmingham. By building some of the finest city centre homes ever seen in the UK, the building establishes a powerful statement of intent for the city. As a high-profile skyscraper with a world-first design as well as highly sustainable ethos, The Octagon will become an important part of the city’s skyline for years to come.”

Ross Fittall, commercial development director at Paradise asset and development manager MEPC, said: “The topping out of The Octagon is a key moment not just for Paradise, but for the whole city which can rightly take pride in this new landmark. It is a celebration of what has been an excellent collaborative effort between the design, delivery and construction teams and an exemplary build contract undertaken with care and commitment by Midgard, its staff, and sub-contractors, which has led us to hold today’s event.

“We’re delivering a highly recognisable landmark for our city that will build on Birmingham’s growing reputation both at home and abroad, and provide hundreds of much-needed new homes for the city. The Octagon is an integral piece of the next phase of Paradise that is also delivering new commercial buildings and public realm and which underlines the true mixed-use offer of Paradise as a place to live, work and visit all year round.”