Planning ref: 2009/01615/PA (http://eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=359096&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/BirminghamNew/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/BirminghamNew/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=52.449162,-1.929557&sspn=0.000974,0.00284&ie=UTF8&ll=52.449162,-1.929557&spn=0.000974,0.00284&t=h&z=19

http://www.music.bham.ac.uk/
http://www.bhamalumni.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=717
http://www.glennhowells.co.uk/projects/education
http://www.acousticdimensions.com/projects/pac/chancellorscourt.htm
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3145387

Birmingham University launches £16m music project
Aug 12 2009 by Terry Grimley, Birmingham Post

Birmingham University is to build a new £16 million home for its music department which will complete its original range of buildings, left unfinished when they first opened in 1909.

The scheme, which received the final go-ahead this week, is scheduled to open in 2012.

Designed by Birmingham-based Glenn Howells Architects, it will include a 450-seat concert hall, teaching facilities and studios for early music and electro-acoustic music. It will provide a venue for the university’s various musical ensembles and further open up the campus to the public.

The curved range of Edwardian red brick buildings – which it is believed gave the generic term “redbrick” to civic universities – was designed in a Byzantine style by Sir Aston Webb, and is still known as the Aston Webb building.

The original design envisaged seven domed pavilions, linked in a continuous facade enclosing Chancellor’s Court and the clock tower, which has been a familiar landmark in Edgbaston for a century. A shortage of funds prevented the scheme being completed, and while other buildings were added later, a gap has remained which will now be filled by the new scheme.

The new building will consist of a pavilion entrance with a foyer connecting it to the concert hall and other facilities. The auditorium has been designed by acoustician Nick Edwards, who worked on Symphony Hall and whose other current projects include the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Professor John Whenham, head of the music department, said: “It will provide a home for university music-making which we haven’t previously had. It’s not just music students. People from other departments perform in the various ensembles, and the public can sign up as members of the music society and come and use the facilities.”

“At the moment we rehearse our ensembles, including two symphony orchestras, brass band and chamber choir, in the Elgar Room, but we cannot do concerts there because it no longer meets fire regulations. All our concerts will go on in the new hall except the biggest, which will have to go to Symphony Hall as they do at present.”

The new concert hall will fill a gap in the city between the 600-seat Adrian Boult Hall and the CBSO Centre, which is about half that size. Fully retractable seating will make it possible for a symphony orchestra and choir to rehearse.

Professor David Eastwood, the university’s vice-chancellor, said: “The new building which will finally complete the original architectural vision of the university, will provide our outstanding music department with a much-needed permanent home that befits its international standing.”

The scheme has been welcomed by Sir Simon Rattle, principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and former music director of the CBSO, who said: “I’m excited by the plans for the University of Birmingham’s new music building, both as a centre of excellence which will attract and nurture talented musicians, but also as a venue which opens university music-making to the wider local and regional community.”

The university is putting up £11 million, with fundraising having added another £3.6 million. A public appeal will be launched in the next few weeks. The scheme has presented a unique design challenge for Glenn Howells Architects, who recently refurbished the university’s existing art deco concert hall in the Barber Institute.

“It has taken two and a half years of hard work,” Glenn Howells said. “We’ve been aggressively modest in our approach, because we didn’t want someone to come along in 200-300 years and criticise what we’ve done.

“We are using a matching brick because they are no longer quarrying the original one. The building has to comply with modern standards, incorporating double-glazed, high-performance windows. It’s a building that, as you get close to it, will reveal itself as a 21st-century building in quite a subtle way.”

One difference which has had to be incorporated is that the new pavilion needs to provide an entrance, whereas its existing counterparts only have windows. The whole complex is linked by a curving internal corridor. Mr Howells said. “It’s as though somebody has left work on the project in anticipation of someone else picking up the pen 100 years later.”

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2009/08/12/birmingham-university-launches-16m-music-project-65233-24377135/


Glenn Howells Architects have been appointed by the University of Birmingham to build a 450-seat concert hall on the University's campus. This auditorium, with its associated research, teaching and rehearsal facilities, will house the Department of Music and will complete the redbrick semi-circle of buildings which have been the heart of the University since 1909.

The auditorium will be the most flexible performance space at a UK university and suitable for performances from solo voice through electroacoustic music, to a full symphony orchestra.

Other resources will include the Dome rehearsal room and new electroacoustic music studios in which the Music Department's international community of undergraduates and postgraduates can work in cutting-edge facilities.

http://i40.tinypic.com/4l1u0j.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/6h8909.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/u7o09.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/10dz328.jpg

It's taken me a while to get round to setting the thread up but I noticed a couple of weeks back that Coleman and Co were getting stuck in.

http://i39.tinypic.com/jzjypu.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/9ivkty.jpg

Looks good.

So what are they demolishing? Is says there's a gap there.

These low rises out the back

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=52.449162,-1.929557&sspn=0.000974,0.00284&ie=UTF8&ll=52.449162,-1.929557&spn=0.000974,0.00284&t=h&z=19

Great to see this is cracking on! 90 years too late, if you ask me. ;)

Also worth noting that a tender has just gone out for the creation of a new organ for the building as well. :)

Here's the completed blocks in dark shading against the planned design.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/Se0OWX7_dJI/AAAAAAAABH4/LY9-k0KGFf0/s320/1907plan.jpg

and over two years ago, when it was first reported in Construction News


Uni to develop £15m music centre
Published: 14 March 2008 15:3

The University of Birmingham is inviting bids for a development project
worth up to £15 million at its main campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham.Due late in 2010, the proposed development will include a 450-seat auditorium, rehearsal space, studios, offices and storage for the university's music department.To be called the Chancellor's Court Auditorium, it will be at the centre of the campus and also used by the college's hospitality, accommodation and conferencing services.The construction cost is estimated at between £10 million and £15 million.The university expects to invite five bidders to submit tenders. The deadline for requests to participate is Thursday 27 March.


http://www.cnplus.co.uk/regions/westmidlands/news/2008/03/uni_to_develop_15m_music_centre.html

plus other images of the design.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/Se0aDnOMIeI/AAAAAAAABIY/DW_dGfD3bww/s320/MusicHallAW.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/SoS0cbJq_LI/AAAAAAAABRg/mJjdScCCIVA/s1600/GHA_chancellors_model_ready.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2009/08/100th-anniversary-extension-for.html

I wonder if the uni will look at completing the other wings over time as well. Would be a great commitment to the original design if they did.

Probably not. This is a legacy project for the previous VC and will also help the balance the domes evenly.

I suspect the university will continue with it's estate in a different mix of buildings but that this will be the closest attempt to fulfil the original plan.

There were plans to finish the Library in the H shape it was meant to be so that might be something that comes up. Not to forget the work on the new Dental Hospital relocation adjacent to the superhospital.

These low rises out the back

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=52.449162,-1.929557&sspn=0.000974,0.00284&ie=UTF8&ll=52.449162,-1.929557&spn=0.000974,0.00284&t=h&z=19

Cheers Foxy. I get it now!:)

Here's the completed blocks in dark shading against the planned design.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/Se0OWX7_dJI/AAAAAAAABH4/LY9-k0KGFf0/s320/1907plan.jpg




It's great news that they are filling the gap in the same architectural style. But there is another gap in what was originally intended, the space between the Law Department and the Poynting building in the straight section linking the two ends of the circular section. This gap now serves as the main entrance to Chancellor's Court and will almost certainly stay that way as the central entrance would have been too small in my opinion. It would be interesting to know if the end wall of the straight section has a finished appearance or does it still look temporary, like the rear end of Baskerville House? That's the trouble with these grandiose schemes --- funds inevitably run out and by the time funding becomes available again, building techniques and materials have changed, architectural styles are different and the original plan is no longer fit for purpose, resulting in an incomplete scheme left in isolation or a hodgepodge of buildings grouped together in an ad hoc manner.

I watched the leaders' debate live on BBC World a couple of hours ago. Absolutely stunning views of the Great Hall and Chancellor's Court --- a great advertisement for the University and the City of Birmingham for viewers in Canada.

Would be great to see the original plan for Chancellor's Court completed, but I am inclined to think it won't happen. Would have been nice to see the library completed to it's original design instead of the rather unsympathetic extension that was tacked on

A few phone snaps from yesterday (friday)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TUNgRBEuaSI/AAAAAAAACuc/k5WlRvP6Vuk/s1600/28Jan11UOB7.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TUNfr1YSHOI/AAAAAAAACts/Iu88lyuMrvk/s1600/28Jan11UOBsteps2.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TUNgQ7UMu_I/AAAAAAAACuU/wBHNBJbD990/s1600/28Jan11UOB8.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TUNgkZ59k8I/AAAAAAAACvE/ILV40Fv1YdA/s1600/28Jan11UOB2.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/01/musical-dome-steeling-scene.html

http://i56.tinypic.com/33jqp1i.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/qsa62e.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/f1a7hs.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/5lyu7s.jpg

and one for Josh ;)

Thanks for those Foxy - didn't realse this was so advanced

Looks good so far, looking forward to seeing how the new brickwork looks compared to the old it is adjacent to.

brilliant stuff! Kinda reminds me of the Peace Park in Hiroshima

Thanks for those Foxy - didn't realse this was so advanced

Looks good so far, looking forward to seeing how the new brickwork looks compared to the old it is adjacent to.

Hope my pictures helpful too. You can see where the steps will take you under the building to keep the old pedestrian route through site.

Woody can we move this to the construction sub-forum now please :)

http://i40.tinypic.com/10dz328.jpg

What is a "BEAST store"?

Hope my pictures helpful too.

Yes sorry only just saw that you had posted one of the sets? Did you 2 go on a walkaround together of something ;)

A long distance view from Holders Lane woods although annoyingly the Physics building gets in the way.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TVCHeEGXGII/AAAAAAAAC7o/HiAgEFqyw-U/s1600/7Feb11UOBdome1.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/02/domed-view.html

An update from Tuesday.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TVHeZBOGNfI/AAAAAAAAC-I/jaMelyhK3VY/s1600/8Feb11UOB6.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TVHcEWPj1PI/AAAAAAAAC8w/8vLo1b8lJig/s1600/8Feb11UOB17.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/TVHeXxQzK7I/AAAAAAAAC9w/-9Fr8Qn8ja4/s1600/8Feb11UOB9.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/02/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music.html

Can be seen from Bristol Road now

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5019/5482956544_74362ded16_b.jpg

woah that green hut looks a bit shit, please tell me its due to be flattened lol

Nope! the road is directly in front of it, that wall is new though so makes the area look abit better

A very good looking university, up their with Oxbridge IMO.

Your in good company thinking that.

The 2005 Pevsner guide says that it's got the best mix of architectural styles outside of Oxbridge.

This is a brilliant addition! Didn't the Victorian Society have an issue with this once? And also isn't that area of brickwork at the top pre-fabricated? Looks too good to be true!

I don't think anyone objected to it as it's superbly in keeping considering it's a new build. It's a very tasteful completion of the circle.

I did wonder when I took the snaps.

I was down on the campus last week. It's a shame they don't appear to be putting as much effort into detail on the brickwork as the original. I think it is wonderful they are completing the semi-circle with a fantastic concert hall. It just seems they could put a bit more effort in and make it look as it would have been intended. Though I realise architects often have a strange fascination with wanting to 'read the history of the building' etc.

Be that as it may, it's starting to look good :-)

Even though it's not up to the same level of detailing as the original blocks they've done a nice job of contemporary but historically fair. Glenn Howells too so it will be done well. Think it shows that it fits in but is a modern addition rather than hammy attempt to rebuild it in original detailing.

We have a webcam link http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/alumni/giving/circlesofinfluence/bramall-webcam.aspx

Update from earlier

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ndBxjWf07c/TZZgFdflLHI/AAAAAAAAD1s/B9FCOW6wPCs/s1600/1Apr11Brammall10.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7EwSA1oQ9ls/TZZg3TWCvxI/AAAAAAAAD2s/bED0rojoJ6M/s1600/1Apr11Brammall2.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KE-BcTg8GUw/TZZfuks9XBI/AAAAAAAAD1M/3TftfnnK9ro/s1600/1Apr11Brammall14.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oqeco6Vt6MI/TZZfuK9q9jI/AAAAAAAAD0s/BJUy2an-kyM/s1600/1Apr11Brammall18.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/04/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music.html

Update from the 14th.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUXbR5PTGb8/TdQzY447ydI/AAAAAAAAEqY/cAPLYzsKZhQ/s1600/14May11UoB3.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOq0W5GjR3I/TdQzIjidusI/AAAAAAAAEqI/RSs7Zd-CFDo/s1600/14May11UoB5.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/05/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music.html

I'm loving this.

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/public/img-cache/270x200_1306479982_27may11-robinson.jpg

Picture from website below:

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/construction-news/robinson-makes-strong-start-to-2011

Snaps from the 5th June.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uic-dzE6uN0/Te1ezx-lX0I/AAAAAAAAFEs/ZNQu3B1r_ZA/s1600/5Jun11UoB1.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3c3JejHggOY/Te1eyRwJeyI/AAAAAAAAFEM/NWkOxsxA7tw/s1600/5Jun11UoB5.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQfBSs1K1LQ/Te1ecWdcchI/AAAAAAAAFD8/GlY78_mYz5k/s1600/5Jun11UoB7.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGNnP3Cf6P8/Te1eE9Iee1I/AAAAAAAAFDM/dlf357nV2lk/s1600/5Jun11UoB13.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rIJFk5XlGXg/Te1dufYlfDI/AAAAAAAAFCU/GPVeeEeSj9M/s1600/5Jun11UoB20.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/06/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music.html

Few snaps from 25th

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHR67EFHRio/TgkIebutugI/AAAAAAAAFoI/k0VqKdE8vnQ/s1600/25Jun11UoB8.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5cGt0-Yat9U/TgkJUwtOUKI/AAAAAAAAFoo/Y1jNTDRfPSs/s1600/25Jun11UoB4.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yeM4IMf2UZs/TgkJVHYzPpI/AAAAAAAAFow/2VpP0H5_wqk/s1600/25Jun11UoB3.jpg

and the paving for the square by Staff House is almost finished.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OeaLvuBvgCY/TgkId29p99I/AAAAAAAAFn4/mxB2WgEogL8/s1600/25Jun11UoB10.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/06/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music_27.html

Some snaps from yesterday, 26th. The metal covering on the dome is being installed.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XmcFkElrb_w/ToEPuOaEQWI/AAAAAAAAHZg/g-Ftod_Ypv4/s1600/26Sep11UoB1.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LiTdWtjUMg/ToEPaLW6dSI/AAAAAAAAHY4/qJ0Qkbtkhjc/s1600/26Sep11UoB6.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/09/university-of-birmingham-bramall-music.html

very nice!!!

http://i54.tinypic.com/5lyu7s.jpg

and one for Josh ;)

someone didnt proof that very well before sending it to the printers!
:bash:
andconstructed
ofthe

& UofB is supposed to be a good uni!



this is an excellent example of how to do infill though.

The dome looking almost finished now.

From 30 November

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gk0D37yMqbA/TtlWvyTPYJI/AAAAAAAAJlM/FRlza7tYPPQ/s1600/30Nov11UoB1b.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_2YVpS2oyU/TtlWSA4u3DI/AAAAAAAAJk4/D98zUp6HMDg/s1600/30Nov11UoB3.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-erHIH_NWx80/TtlWRfMrM1I/AAAAAAAAJkQ/X_DHPL3Wa6M/s1600/30Nov11UoB6.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2011/12/dome-closes-crescent-bramall-music.html

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6686646901_9aaee95d00_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonhowes/6686646901/)
photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonhowes/6686646901/) by simonhowes (http://www.flickr.com/people/simonhowes/), on Flickr

Putting watermarks on your photos now Si?

Just noticed they've chopped that tree down near the new block.

Hope they replace it somewhere although it does clear the view a bit better.

Can't wait for the scaffolding to come down

Must admit I haven't looked at this thread before. What a great development! Thanks for all the updates Feltip/Foxtrot etc...

Not sure why, but the tall clock, all 4 faces are lit up in green! Anyone know why?

^^ I remember seeing something in the Birmingham mail about it, think it was to highlight a campaign?

Not sure why, but the tall clock, all 4 faces are lit up in green! Anyone know why?

Thank you! I thought I was hallucinating on the bus the other night haha

It's Go Green week.

http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek

^^ Thanks

It actually looks good!

This will be handed to the university from the builders soon.

I haven't been past for a bit but here's a few snaps from 26 Feb.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VAHvZ650xwk/T2pi1mYQ1eI/AAAAAAAAKhs/80WyjZHd_cU/s1600/26Feb12Bramall2.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9h-XmrLyEEA/T2pi9o7MRkI/AAAAAAAAKiE/naGLKtq88fs/s1600/26Feb12Bramall5.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c58cSTJlvxc/T2pjFqmc7NI/AAAAAAAAKik/L6dU7D9nhvY/s1600/26Feb12Bramall9.jpg

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/bramall-dome-heads-towards-finale.html

I'm working there next week and the week after.

I'm pretty sure I'll be doing the photos for the university of the new building. I work as an assistant to the freelance photographer that does the university's ad and corporate photos. I'll have to try and get some unofficial snaps with my iPhone or other camera. Unsure why I haven't asked while I'm there if I could visit the building site.

Can't tell the new from the old from those photos. Superb!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/venuebirmingham/

A lot of construction photos.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7135/6874478564_1cc5bb2f64_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7087/7020577061_48b5eb5024_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6874471906_0d85752932_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7020573977_a08501f37d_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7110/7020572577_60fbc2b531_c.jpg



http://www.venuebirmingham.com/about-us/blog/bramall-builders-hit-high-notes

Bramall builders hit the high notes!

Posted 27/03/2012

The contractors working on the new Bramall concert building were treated to an impromptu hard hat concert yesterday afternoon.

The team of contractors from BAM, are in the final stages of completing The Bramall Music Building, which is a brand new £16m million auditorium, currently being built at the University of Birmingham.

The 450-seat Elgar concert hall, which will house the University’s Department of Music, will complete the redbrick semi-circle of buildings which have been at the heart of the University since 1909. This new facility will provide state-of-the-art accommodation for teaching and research within the department, of a kind that will match its international status.

The building will also serve as an outstanding venue for conferences and events upon completion and will be available to be booked for your event from autumn 2012 onwards.

Sennet Brass, a Birmingham based professional brass quintet entertained the contractors for half an hour yesterday afternoon. They were lead by the University Concerts and Programming Manager, Jo Sweet (who also plays tuba in the Quintet)

.As well as creating some light entertainment for the team, the concert has also given a valuable performers insight in to the acoustics of the hall, as they performed a selection of Jazz, Baroque and Romantic music, plus the famous 20th Century Fox fanfare.

To complete the concert the Quintet performed Elgar’s “Chanson de Matin”, in honour of Sir Edward Elgar who was the University of Birmingham’s first Professor of Music, and instrumental in the creation of one of the country’s leading music departments.

Nothing like the 2,500 seater I was asked to design last year. What a beast that was!

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/bramall/events/Music-and-architecture-in-conversation.aspx

In conversation: 'Music and Architecture'

Location: Bramall Music Building
Date(s): Monday 26th November 2012 (18:30-20:00)
Contact Box office: 0121 345 0492

Glenn Howells, founding director of Glenn Howells Architects will discuss the design and build of the new Bramall Music Building, alongside Sir Jeremy Dixon, of Dixon Jones, who will talk about his work on the Royal Opera House and Kings Place. They will be joined by architect Ruth Reed, former President of RIBA, and lecturer at Birmingham City University.

This event will also feature Birmingham University Singers under the direction of the newly appointed Director of Choral Studies, Simon Halsey.

Elgar Concert Hall

Free admission - unticketed event



https://twitter.com/bramallmusic/status/213647520864284672

http://a.yfrog.com/img814/8532/2wcj.png

Looks superb.