I know we talk about the most attractive building in Birmingham, and the ugliest.

But how about the blandest. Dictionary definition of bland - devoid of any distinctive or stimulating characteristics; uninteresting; dull.

I was walking round Digbeth on Saturday and saw this and thought it may be a contender for blandest building in Birmingham (I realise it is
"only" and office and factory and therefore is not meant to be of any great merit - but even so, could they have got more bland).

For those interested it is on the corner of Floodgate St and Little Ann St. Probably the only thing of interest is that the River Rea seems
to run right under it (over very nearly under it).

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/bland.jpg

The hotel on bristol street...etap is it....i can forgive a factory unit for being bland but why anyone would design a hotel that looks like a prefab prison is beyond me. Even worse it was only built a few years back....all involved need shooting imo...utterly ghastly!

:ohno:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/3882117814_f6e6584c00_b.jpg

Without a shadow of a doubt.

This building has no aesthetic features above the mundane, there is absolutely no creativity, flare or novelty about this building.

It simply exists.

Paradise St - the awful back of Fletchers Walk. Banaal rubbish.

The Copthorne and Chamberlain House (also Paradise Circus) are also good contenders. Cheap, dire and bland architecture at it's worst.

Paradise St - the awful back of Fletchers Walk. Banaal rubbish.

The Copthorne and Chamberlain House (also Paradise Circus) are also good contenders. Cheap, dire and bland architecture at it's worst.

Agreed, how about a more recent example - One Colmore Square - a dull office block and a really bland attempt at public space :bash:

Cumberbland House?

Or maybe the non-more grey Millennium point, how much more greyer could this be?

http://photos.igougo.com/images/p108815-Birmingham-Millennium_Point.jpg

Millennium Point has to be the winner, for me.

I like that they made the IMAX look like an electricity substation. WELL DONE!

Without a shadow of a doubt.

This building has no aesthetic features above the mundane, there is absolutely no creativity, flare or novelty about this building.

It simply exists.

Perhaps it's creative simply because it is so mundane. Most buildings have some creative aspect to them, and therefore they blend into the background, so that only the most mundane and the most radical stand out.

That's deep man.

Or maybe it's just mundane because it's cheap and mundane?

It is very bland Millennium Point - especially from that angle.

I'd always rather hoped the architect thought it would back onto other buildings and therefore that hideous aspect wouldn't be seen.

Shame Eastside is slower than a slow thing.

Im sorry but i find Centre City tower very bland and dull, its much nicer at night when lit up but during the day, :ohno:

Millennium point is the building equivalent to beige.

Another bland contender is Lloyd House.

Its just.. Depressing

http://www.jstottphotography.com/2006/2006-01-04-birmingham/slides_l/dsc_6736.jpg

Possibly, ugly, possibly. Doomed, certainly.

But it's not bland though.

Birmingham's Crown Courts - boring brickwork (and in the late 80s the brick seemed so bland) and a terrible use of a slate-looking sloping roof.

Nerdly dood, is this not a tad offensive at the end of your sign off

>Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

Dictionary definition of retarded says:
> slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development :
> characterized by mental retardation

But you can be physically disabled but be mentally more creative than most of the population.

Stephen Hawking is physically disabled and "stuck" in a wheelchair, but has written books about the universe that most of us cant begin to understand, so is he retarded?

^^ sorry, what are you on about Guilbert?!

There are many ignorant idiots on this forum Guilbert as is in real life. @ Reiss - the Nerdly Dood signature ^^

Shame, maybe i just read the thread before i comment, my bad

^^ sorry, what are you on about Guilbert?!

A person called Nerdly Dood posted above.

In his sign off area at the bottom of his append he had a number of "witty" quotes, one of which was:

>Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

As someone with a disabled son I took exception to it.

Its just.. Depressing

http://www.jstottphotography.com/2006/2006-01-04-birmingham/slides_l/dsc_6736.jpg

This has the potential to be a world class landmark. Remove all the cluter from around the base and reclad with something shinny or mirrored. skytrackers and laser projections at night would make it look great and modern.

This has the potential to be a world class landmark.

It really, REALLY! REALLY! Doesn't. Another cheap nasty knock-off of an American building by John Madin.

The Library was a vile, cheap version of Boston City hall, Post and Mail was a cheap nasty version of New Yorks 'Lever Building'.

^^ don't think his work is really liked in this time, with Post and Mail gone, Pebble Mill gone, and now Library is going! 1 hagley Road is an amazing building i must admit though

The Library was a vile, cheap version of Boston City hall,

Common myth. It was designed before the City Hall even broke ground or made the news. It was inspired by La Tourette (I think that's the spelling) by Le Corbusier.

Post and Mail was a cheap nasty version of New Yorks 'Lever Building'.

The Lever Building inspired Modernist architecture around the world. By that basis, we can assume that 90% of Modernist architecture is a cheap, nasty version of the Lever Building. The Post and Mail was a really high quality building, and my second favourite of his works (after 1 Hagley Road). Even to bring it into the 21st century wouldn't have taken much of an endeavour and its replacement is hardly much of a step up from it either.

I read somwhere that Madin wanted the library built with a marble exterior, but the council thought that was too expensive.

So it finshed up with an ugly concrete exterior.

That's true. I think he considered Portland stone too. I'm not too sure if marble would have looked much better, to be honest.

Concrete was a fine choice of material.

It's criminal that it took the best part of 40 years and the imminent threat of demolition for the council to really embrace the library as the massive artistic canvass that it is.

It has the potential to be a constantly changing building with new displays of artworks on every conceivable external surface. But oh well, I suppose we can say goodbye to yet another Birmingham landmark with the potential to be something good, and replace it with corporate blandness.

I nominate this...

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2295

I get a little bit of sick in my mouth everytime I see it

Albany house is awesome!

Yes indeed, i see much much worse than Albany house.

Whilst I wouldn't say Albany House is the winner for this thread, it's still fucking shit. It sucks all the soul from its immediate vicinity. Even in a blazing heatwave you get chills down your spine when you look at this.

I kinda like the urban grittiness that that building brings to China town. Talking of which, the old Barracuda bar is becoming an Asian buffet restaurant.

Common myth. It was designed before the City Hall even broke ground or made the news. It was inspired by La Tourette (I think that's the spelling) by Le Corbusier.

From Wikipedia*:

"The great inverted ziggurat of Birmingham, and its 30 miles of bookshelves … owes its curious profile to US precedent, not to commercial design. Its architect, John Madin, a home-grown talent, based its design on that of Kallman, McKinnell and Knowles's Boston City Hall (1963-68). It has real presence, and it is not hard to imagine it being transformed, with the help of sympathetic and imaginative architects, artists and designers, into a popular hub of fresh cultural activity."

It also has our library as opening in 1974, Boston City hall as 1969.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Central_Library

(*Not 100% reliable i know)

That was taken from an article by Jonathon Glancey in the Guardian, I believe. There's an early interview knocking about on the net where Madin talks about the inspiration for it and the design process, citing La Tourette as his main inspiration. He had started designing the Library some 10 years before it opened.

I'm not sure where the idea that he copied the Boston City Hall came from exactly, although I can understand why people think he copied that because the buildings have very similar forms. It's also worth noting that the architects of Boston City Hall were also inspired by Le Corbusier's works.

I nominate this...

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2295

I get a little bit of sick in my mouth everytime I see it

Good shout Gio. Albany House is awful, though I'm not sure whether bland is too good a description; it's ******* awful, ugly, disgusting and good for nothing but wrecking ball practice.

B1 building, Summer Hill Road.

A glorious example of how to polish a turd, awful place.

^^Is that that warehouse-looking building opposite Spring Hill Library? If so, very good shout.

The current library is far from boring just concrete. It still evokes passionate debate between opposing factions and that's why I consider it interesting. You could even argue this about The Cube to some degree - despite it being, well, a box, it has aspects about it that generate discussion and often heated arguement - no just in the aesthetic but also it's execution.

My bland buildings include:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3486335239_67b91e685e_b.jpg

The architect died. Of boredom. Hence why it has no interesting features, and doesn't go high enough. I neither love it or hate it. that's what makes it dull. Nuff said.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/MartianG/NatWestTower2.jpg

103 Colmore Row - A prominent symbol of everything that is wrong with 70's(-ish) Birmingham, yet largely forgotten.. I hardly even noticed it when walking past and the only time I actually paid attention was the fact that I read a thread on here that it was supposed to be redeveloped by British Land(?).. Despite this, I still don't notice it

The Etap. DULL.

Latitude. Tidy. But DULL.

Trouble is, I struggle to remember half the stuff I find dull because, er, there's nothing to remember them by. A future nominee might be Morrisons on Hagley Road... we shall see...

^^Is that that warehouse-looking building opposite Spring Hill Library? If so, very good shout.

Yep, that's the one. Or better known to people who work there as B&Q with desks.

Infact here's a picture of the inside......

http://www.kebablog.co.uk/blogpics/failboat2.jpg

And here's an out-side shot of said masterpiece...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/3528954355_09542abb05_b.jpg

City Park Gate Plot 4 could be a good shout.

Are we allowed to have blandness that is still on plan?

And here's an out-side shot of said masterpiece...


Lovely, innit.

And here's an out-side shot of said masterpiece...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/3528954355_09542abb05_b.jpg

What on earth goes on in there.. apart from what looks like copious quantities of cola drinking??

Noo, you can't say this building is bland. One of my favourites.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonhowes/4865109449/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4865109449_168e29a3e0.jpg

What on earth goes on in there.. apart from what looks like copious quantities of cola drinking??

Tis the offices for Prime Care, NHS (Mental Heath I think) and Service Birmingham

I'm not sure where the idea that he copied the Boston City Hall came from exactly, although I can understand why people think he copied that because the buildings have very similar forms. It's also worth noting that the architects of Boston City Hall were also inspired by Le Corbusier's works.

I agree and one of the Madin design team also specifically mentioned Denys Lasdun’s Royal College of Physicians as a major influence. To me Boston City Hall appears to have little influence on Birmingham Central Library other than myth.

It's just both satisfied similar briefs and converged on innovative solutions of their time and as you say were influenced by some works of Corbusier, Lasdun & Louis Kahn rather than each other.

I'd correct wikipedia if I knew how ;)

It's a bit difficult to "correct" it when the statement has a citation. It effectively makes the statement truth, by the laws of Wiki! Until I can come across a reliable source that says otherwise, the world will continue to think the Central Library was influenced by Boston City Hall! :|

^^ That's why I no longer edit at wikipedia. It even got as far as people sourcing a web site that sourced their information the incorrect wikipedia articles. I edited a lot of incorrect articles on acoustics, just for everything to be thrown back in my face. I gave up.

You should see some of the wars that brew on irc.freenode.net between the administrators. :lol: At the current rate, people are going to walk away from the organisation and leave it in a bad state. Time bomb is ticking.

Manor House.....in fact moat lane in general :ohno:

I agree and one of the Madin design team also specifically mentioned Denys Lasdun’s Royal College of Physicians as a major influence. To me Boston City Hall appears to have little influence on Birmingham Central Library other than myth.

It's just both satisfied similar briefs and converged on innovative solutions of their time and as you say were influenced by some works of Corbusier, Lasdun & Louis Kahn rather than each other.

I'd correct wikipedia if I knew how ;)

The ugly library is my nomination for the blandest building and yes it has remarkable similarities to the ugly-on stilts Royal College of Physicians (but not that bland) -if only he saw the great Royal College of Surgeons!

Whilst I wouldn't say Albany House is the winner for this thread, it's still fucking shit. It sucks all the soul from its immediate vicinity. Even in a blazing heatwave you get chills down your spine when you look at this.

Totally agree about this awful, awful AWFUL looking building and it should have been demolished along with whatever was bolted to it. It certainly isn't bland and I consider myself to be one of it's greatest haters. Whilst I like it's form, it would seriously need a full-on re-clad in a much more up-to-date, visually combination of appealing materialsm, and a total 're-glaze'.

Certainly a candidate for a refurb at the very, very least- if not a total replacement

Everything in Perry Barr. The Fort, UCE Campus, the railway Station, the roads.
Oh god. I haven't seen anything so disgusting in this country in my life. It reminds me of a decaying Communist City reminiscent to those in Ukraine. If only it could have a Chernobyl style disaster too.

^^ actually Walsall Road is one of the nicest looking roads in Birmingham, since they done Red route and the Bus Lanes they fully upgraded the road replaced traffic lights, street lights and furniture.

Everything in Perry Barr. The Fort, UCE Campus, the railway Station, the roads.
Oh god. I haven't seen anything so disgusting in this country in my life. It reminds me of a decaying Communist City reminiscent to those in Ukraine. If only it could have a Chernobyl style disaster too.

Interesting you should say this. A friend of mine went to try and find somewhere to get some dreadlocks in his hair (ended up in Handsworth) and he couldn't believe there were places like this in Birmingham. He said it was as bad, if not worse than some of the places where he was from in Albania.

What really put him off was that tower-block that used to be up at the roundabout by the Birchfield atheletics track.

[QUOTE=marmite747;62183437]Everything in Perry Barr. The Fort, UCE Campus, the railway Station, the roads.
Oh god. I haven't seen anything so disgusting in this country in my life. It reminds me of a decaying Communist City reminiscent to those in Ukraine. If only it could have a Chernobyl style disaster too.[QUOTE]

Must be the most stupid comment I've read on a post for a long time.

Everything in Perry Barr. The Fort, UCE Campus, the railway Station, the roads.
Oh god. I haven't seen anything so disgusting in this country in my life. It reminds me of a decaying Communist City reminiscent to those in Ukraine. If only it could have a Chernobyl style disaster too.[QUOTE]

[QUOTE=fruit&nut;62575759]Must be the most stupid comment I've read on a post for a long time.

Im quite confused about which part of perry barr he is taking about :-s

USE Campus fair enough from a far, The Fort aint even in Perry Barr :-s, the railway station is pretty typical of most stations in birmingham (functional) and the fly overs/underpass is pretty bad. after one stop its pretty nice.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Perry Barr fan.

The concept of a Chernobyl style disaster being a good idea is just plain stupid.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Perry Barr fan.

The concept of a Chernobyl style disaster being a good idea is just plain stupid.

But in all honesty, the area right from Newtown all the way up to Perry Barr, really does need some new design solutions. Tower blocks of this nature really need to be removed, refurbished or replaced in order to raise the aesthetic standard of the area. Sure you cannot get rid of the idiots (I suggested once that there should be an out of town area to keep the troublemakers and have a load of police to guard it - but that would be unworkable... lol), but they must work harder to make sure it doesn't look like the sort of place to attract new ones either.

Novotel, Broad Street.

http://images2.nteknik.net/hb/UK/BHX/7516/007516a_hb_a_001.jpg

Looks like one of those incredibly cheap hotels somewhere outside Reno, Nevada.

Priory Square or The Square as it is now called in Dale End. Recently got a lick of paint.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4360017355_86c3f35238_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360017355/)
Priory Square - Dale End (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360017355/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

This building at the corner of Sheepcote Street and Grosvenor Street West.

Not sure what it is, but had Canal Square labeled on it (or directions to Canal Square).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4233028745_f5da7b0f43_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4233028745/)
Canal Square - Sheepcote Street (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4233028745/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

This building at the corner of Sheepcote Street and Grosvenor Street West.

Not sure what it is, but had Canal Square labeled on it (or directions to Canal Square).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4233028745_f5da7b0f43_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4233028745/)
Canal Square - Sheepcote Street (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4233028745/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

Ah, yeh, now that really is bland. It's like a big f*** you to the rest of the street. The only thing of interest is that lattice work behind it.

Perhaps 'the bin' behind the Novotel is 'Bland Nouveau' - I say it's bland because it looks neither ugly or beautiful and just looks really very boring and like it should be away the urban caynon of Broad Street.

The Novotel isn't really bland because it really is awful and evokes such a suitably negative response

That Sheepcote Street building is an electrical substation.

I thought you guys would like The Novotel , its got a Spanish theme to it..

The only thing of interest is that lattice work behind it.


And even that looks awful when you see it close up.

I agree that you should not HATE a bland building, you should hardly notice it.

And even that looks awful when you see it close up.

I agree that you should not HATE a bland building, you should hardly notice it.

Precisely (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=61466115&postcount=40)

Priory Square or The Square as it is now called in Dale End. Recently got a lick of paint.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4360017355_86c3f35238_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360017355/)
Priory Square - Dale End (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360017355/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

Same Architect as Liverpool Catholic cathedral, I believe and too lazy to check.

Ah, yeh, now that really is bland. It's like a big f*** you to the rest of the street. The only thing of interest is that lattice work behind it.


Even Pevsner ignore it. They go from Sheepcote Street, onto Grosnevor Street West, mention the Old Union Mill, then back onto Sheepcote Street and they mention the Crescent Theatre and City Inn.

Same Architect as Liverpool Catholic cathedral, I believe and too lazy to check.

It's by Frederick Gibberd. Architect was Gerald Goalen


Originally this was the Corporation Street shopping precinct, by Frederick Gibberd dating from 1963 - 66. The architect was Gerald Goalen.

It is made of Portland stone


From Pevsner.

Gibberd designed this in Liverpool

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4883765052_9913da79a7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_baines/4883765052/)
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, entrance steps (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_baines/4883765052/) by Phil Baines (http://www.flickr.com/people/phil_baines/), on Flickr

Dale end is grimy, cant wait for them to flatten this area. whats there instead of the academy now? ive not been back to brum since it moved to the Dome. Plenty of vodka redbulls comsumed on the premisis =)

Still the academy, but it is closed waiting to be let.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5192849810_efc5d81807_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5192849810/)
The Square, Dale End - Carling Academy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5192849810/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5192255141_3c6371df28_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5192255141/)
The Square, Dale End - Carling Academy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5192255141/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

It really, REALLY! REALLY! Doesn't. Another cheap nasty knock-off of an American building by John Madin.

The Library was a vile, cheap version of Boston City hall, Post and Mail was a cheap nasty version of New Yorks 'Lever Building'.

The central library in brum was never fitted completed to his designs, they bunged the copthorn hotel on the land that was to be used as a raised platform for restaurants and bars. There was also a different facade, which was to be glass and mirrored. the interior had a different style staircase, ehich is now covered up by mcdonalds or somet. there was supposed to be a small drop off car park and additional green space. Blame birmingham city council!

if you type in john madin central library on youtube, you will see an interview where he mentions some of these things. Sorry i cant give a link, but im on my phone!

I tried taking new photos in The Square today, but a security guard made me delete them on site (arcitectural shots). Even had to loose Albert Street Car Park. Am trying to recover the shots on my memory card. Hopefully I can get them back. He claims you need permission and it's because of terrorists. Or you have to ask the manager's permission in the week.

my memory is awful but isn't there something you can quote back at them to prove what they are saying is absoloute bobbins? (not that that may stop them!)

I tried telling him I was on Flickr, and had got shots online from there in the past, but he still made me delete them with him watching.

I'm trying to recover them now using CardRecovery (http://www.cardrecovery.com). But might be too late as I later took new shots in Moseley Village (ex Meteor Ford)

I've got away with doing shots inside the Bullring in the past (wont do it again in there though - security guard risk).

The Square is a worthy contender for Blandest Building. Pity about the photos as at least they would save me the trouble of actually ever going back there out of curiosity to see how far downhill it's gone nowadays.

I lost the photos - over wrote them while in Moseley.

Now I wish that I switched memory cards on the bus (never thought about doing that).

Those places should have been demolished, yet they wasted money on it last year giving it a lick of paint!

While the new ones are lost, I've still got these ones from last year (during the decorating)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4375756574_a76340658e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4375756574/)
Priory Square is getting a Facelift (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4375756574/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4375764726_67d3aa4f03_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4375764726/)
Priory Square is getting a Facelift (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4375764726/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4360027999_d5b1671179_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360027999/)
Priory Square - Bull Street (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4360027999/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

Was able to keep this

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/5461504706_1a354d4f9c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5461504706/)
The Square - childrens rides (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5461504706/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5460903837_64d63bfe9b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5460903837/)
The Square - childrens rides (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5460903837/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5460905873_92332e7f94_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5460905873/)
The Square - childrens rides (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5460905873/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5461511426_65be5cd64d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5461511426/)
The Square - childrens rides (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5461511426/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

I started this thread last August with a bland building in Digbeth.

Another caught my eye the other day, and what makes it "worse" is that it is right next to the entrance to the MailBox (in Severn Street).

Bland or what !

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5501697891_170f54bf90_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48360253@N06/5501697891/)
Bland Birmingham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48360253@N06/5501697891/) by Guilbert53 (http://www.flickr.com/people/48360253@N06/), on Flickr

If they covered that in render and painted it aqua, it would probably make it on to ArchDaily. :ohno:

I started this thread last August with a bland building in Digbeth.

Another caught my eye the other day, and what makes it "worse" is that it is right next to the entrance to the MailBox (in Severn Street).

Bland or what !

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5501697891_170f54bf90_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48360253@N06/5501697891/)
Bland Birmingham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48360253@N06/5501697891/) by Guilbert53 (http://www.flickr.com/people/48360253@N06/), on Flickr

Telephone exchange?.. looks like it had some sort of link to the sorting office or GPO anyway...

A building with no front. Can you picture the client with the architect signing that off and saying "Yep, good work, I like it. Let's get it built."

The building next to it isn't bland. But the one you found is to the left of it. It might have a bland building to the right of it though.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4664561410_1c5606ca00_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4664561410/)
Athol Masonic Hall, 60 Severn Street, Birmingham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4664561410/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

A building with no front. Can you picture the client with the architect signing that off and saying "Yep, good work, I like it. Let's get it built."

I guess telephone exchanges or switching houses don't have to be attractive, and lets not forget that given that this was most likely GPO owned, style was the least of their priorities - especially given the fact it was placed near a big in-town sorting office. I bet it's still in use for BBC transmission via fibre-optic link... or something..