Plans submitted for major facelift to Centenary Square
PROPOSALS for the redesign of one of Birmingham’s largest public squares have been submitted to planners.
The plans for Centenary Square have been submitted by Edinburgh-based Graeme Massie Architects.
A competition, launched by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Landscape Institute on behalf of Birmingham City Council, in 2014 appealed to architects from around the UK to devise a revamp for the public open space.
Almost 200 entries were submitted, which were eventually whittled down to a shortlist of five. Each of the finalists was given £5,000 to help them develop their initial concepts into detailed proposals.
The five finalists were:
• Atkins, Birmingham
• Barton Willmore, Reading
• Broadway Malyan, Birmingham
• Graeme Massie Architects, Edinburgh
• Open Studio Architects with United Visual Artists, London
The redevelopment of the Centenary Square is part of a £30m city centre public realm improvement programme that is being funded via the GBSLEP’s £275m Enterprise Zone investment plan.
With the Paradise redevelopment now proceeding and the development of Arena Central, there was felt a need to improve the appearance of Centenary Square.
Work to implement the winning design will be carried out by Thomas Vale in partnership with Fitzgerald Civil Engineering, both Birmingham-based contractors.
A Design Statement prepared by Graeme Massie Architects, in association with the other members of the design team, includes measures such as:
• Installation of new hard-landscaped surface and provision of areas of soft-landscaping including low level planting and mature trees.
• Changing site levels and associated drainage.
• Works adjacent to existing listed buildings including the Hall of Memory and Baskerville House.
• Provision of a large water feature, including a Reflecting Pool and fountains, and associated subterranean plant room.
• Erection of 43 lighting columns with associated lighting infrastructure.
• Provision of street furniture.
• Relocation of existing public art works.
“We believe that this Design Statement demonstrates that there is a practical, deliverable and elegant architectural response to the complex issues facing this project and that the reinvention of Centenary Square as a dynamic, inspirational city space is a viable goal,” said the architects.
The plans outline the overall strategy for the layout and ground surface materials within square, plus the extension of the Midlands Metro to 2 Arena Central.
The proposals have been developed in collaboration with Centro (Midlands Metro), Arena Central (Miller Development) and HSBC and their respective design teams.
