Probably jumping the gun a little on this, but I thought it was worth creating a thread. Submissions for the design competition for this 500,000 sq.ft project are due in on may 10th, and a final winner should be announced on the 31st, and open to public viewing thereafter. I'm looking forward to this - Mailbox director Alan Chatham is talking up this project, saying they want to get something special - for birmingham as well as the mailbox.

The site...

Canalside

http://tinypic.com/4q4fw7

http://tinypic.com/4q4g0o

Commercial Street frontages
(hopefully these can be retained)

http://tinypic.com/4q4g41

http://tinypic.com/4q4g7p

I love those Norman arch windows and the top fascia. I'd like to see this repeated on the canalside with about 10 floors. This looks quite Venetian and it would work the other side too.

Yep I hope they manage to keep some of the facade of that - looks nice. You can't build that sort of stuff these days at any price - you can tell it's old. It's important to keep this sort of thing for the future.

I'm looking forward to seeing what we get here as well though. I'm guessing that, if we see all the design entries, we're not gonna agree with the one that gets built.

Hey,that building looks great!Don't know about getting your "leather nylon felt" though!

well this has come out the blue for me, i thought the Mailbox was complete, let alone a possible further 500,000 sq ft extension. Sounds like we could be in for somthing special here. the footprint ain't that big and i can't seeing being one big box so maybe something of decent height included in the plans.

I wonder if the bullring has had a effect on this and the news on Martineu Galleries, i would have thought it was a time to consolidate the retail sector but its seems to be the opposite.

Brief encounters

May 4 2005

Terry Grimley sits in on rival architects' bids for the final phase of Birmingham's Mailbox...

A 28-storey tower hovering over the canal, a gigantic cube excavated to create a skewed atrium and a romantic collision of new and historic structures are among the ideas put forward for the final phase of Birmingham's Mailbox development. Over two days, six invited architectural practices have pitched their initial thoughts on how to complete and complement the Mailbox by delivering an outstanding mixed development on a prime city centre canalside frontage.

The six contenders - leading London practices Make and Marks Barfield, plus local pacesetters Associated Architects, Glenn Howells Architects, Kinetic and D5 - have been given considerable freedom by Mailbox owners Birmingham Development Company in how they approach the development of the site. It is bounded to north and south by the canal and Commercial Street, to the east by the existing Mailbox and to the west by the Washington Wharf residential development. Most of the schemes would deliver around 250,000 sq ft of development incorporating a small top-oftherange hotel, retail, offices and apartments. It was not until the final presentation - by Kinetic - that a scheme surfaced which proposed an additional use: a media centre designed to take advantage of the BBC's presence in The Mailbox to stimulate the local broadcast industry. As it turned out, this did not come as a total surprise to the developers, who had considered including just such a facility in the original brief.

One of the basic questions was whether some of the existing buildings on the site, which date from the 1850s and circa 1900, should be retained complete or in part. Oddly enough, all three proposals submitted on day one opted for clearing the site and starting from scratch, while all those on day two kept at least part of the buildings. The most complete retention was proposed by Marks Barfield, who began from the simple premise that the buildings were worth keeping and went on to build alongside them. Kinetic went for a severe form of facadism, proposing to keep only the Commercial Street facades as a free-standing screen to the new development. Perhaps the most thoughtprovoking approach to retention, however, came from D5, whose scheme envisaged new and old structures penetrating each other. Their presentation was more firmly rooted than any of the others in the history of the site, a former Victorian foundry. This inspired an ambitious analogy between the casting process and the potential sequence of architectural solids and voids which was difficult to grasp despite an impressive drawing. Yet there seemed to be something potentially rich and romantic in their radical approach to conservation - and some precedents do exist elsewhere in Europe. Perhaps the other extreme was represented by Make. A recent breakaway from Foster Associates, this practice can refer to such prestigious former projects as the Reichstag, the Great Court at the British Library and the Swiss Re building - alias The Gherkin. Its proposal for the Mailbox is similarly iconic: a giant cube with a corkscrewing atrium lined with balconied apartments. Undoubtedly dramatic and potentially spectacular, it left questions to be answered not only about materials but context: would going for this option be a bit like buying a cube off the peg? Again, there was a sharp contrast in approach from Glenn Howells. While the other contenders used laptops, paper or a combination of the two for their presentations, he surprised everyone by turning up with a large model. His scheme, which proposed a tower 28 storeys high placed at the water's edge and an open space covered by a glazed canopy, was approached as a kind of threedimensional jigsaw, thought through on-site.

As architects of the existing phases of The Mailbox, Associated Architects came to the competition from a unique position and, some might feel, at a disadvantage. After all, it might seem anticlimactic to reappoint the same architects after going through this elaborate process. They took the opportunity to put forward ideas from two of the practice's younger members which, in their notional form, seemed to break new ground for AA - large faceted blocks set diagonally to the canal and the enclosing buildings, both of which are earlier work by this practice.

All of the architects had looked at the complex issue of pedestrian movement through this multi-level site, and all but one (Marks Barfield, who did raise the idea, but more tentatively) were keen to put a second footbridge across the canal from their development, linking into the Holliday Wharf development now being built. The pitches were made to Birmingham Development Company directors Alan Chatham, Mark Billingham and Neil Edginton, with quantity surveyor Kevin Hole of Faithful & Gould on hand to keep a close eye on the deliverability of each proposal. All of them appeared to be well within the bounds of feasibility, though specific aspects of some schemes were likely to send costs up significantly. While starting from a determination to deliver something of lasting quality for the city, the developers are acutely aware that the right balance needs to be struck between value and cost. "My hope for a retention scheme was that you knew you had a lower value, but you also knew you had a lower cost," Alan Chatham explained, adding that something to avoid is a scheme which combines low value with high cost. "I have always believed that we should only knock down the existing buildings to replace them with something of equal or better quality. If we don't believe we're doing that we shouldn't knock them down." On the other hand, a tall tower of the kind proposed by Glenn Howells was seen as an aspirational idea - but possibly difficult to deliver, as the economics of towers start to become problematic at around 14-15 storeys. None of the proposals was without interest or merit, and all will undergo further development until a winner is selected following a final presentation next week. The general feeling was that running a competition with such a wide-open brief had been a valuable experiment, wth Neil Edington pointing to the enthusiasm with which the architects had responded. "If we had been too proscriptive in our brief I don't think we would have had the variety we've had," Mark Billingham commented. "And I think it's good fun," Alan Chatham added. "I think it's really good that the schemes have been so different, because it's difficult to think of areas where we could cherry-pick ideas." A final decison is expected to be announced on May 31, and an exhibition on the proposals will be held as part of National Architecture Week (June 17 -26).

Wow! sounds great :)

28 storey tower please! :yes:

You have beaten me to it MSP, I was just about to post this.

Does sound very encouraging, glad i'm not making the decision. :)

sorry Foxtrot! I saw it in yesterday's Post but they never update the website till much later. BTW I've got a letter in the Post again - I'm ranting about the on-road parking! Sound like an old git!

really look forward to seeing the ideas, may 31st is not too long away

I think they should choose Glen Howells based on the effort of the presentation. A model is always an impressive way to get schemes across. Oh yeah - it's the 28 storey tower too!

28 storeys?!?!
wahey!!!
Where do i vote for that option, lol

i wonder if they will be put on publ;ic display at all...... im really hoping the public will get to vote.

im interested no know why he things a tower becomes uneconomical above 15 floors.

but hey depending on what the tower is used for it could be anywhere in the ehight of 84m to 118m

Likes the sound of that article, hopefully we can see all of the plans. I think a tower here would be nice but 28 storeys might be a bit much, i don't like tall buildings next to canals so would not mind not seeing one here but you have to see the plans first to make any real judgement.

Roll on May 31st!!

i wonder if they will be put on publ;ic display at all...... im really hoping the public will get to vote.

im interested no know why he things a tower becomes uneconomical above 15 floors.

but hey depending on what the tower is used for it could be anywhere in the ehight of 84m to 118m

There won't be a public vote but the proposals are going to be displayed in one of the empty units opposite Thomas Pink as part of Architecture Week (June 17 - 26)

I'll pencil that in. How soon do we think the planning dept can push this winner through. Time is of the essence.

the designs will be on display in the mailbox as part of architecture week in JUNE

http://www.architectureweek.org.uk/event.asp?eventURN=1664

woohoo, and im bac in brum from the 11th to the 25th so i can actually see them!

good find btw

I'll defo be checking that out. Great find.

Any news on this development? Cant wait to see the proposals.

So we get to hear the final decision tomorrow then hopefully??. I'll have to make a effort to grab the Birmingham Post in the morning or day after to see if anything is in there about it.

its not in todays, they make the decision today, it may be in tomorrow, or they may wait for the arts correspondent to do an large editorial peice x

Did anyone go to the exhibition?

deleted....posted previously

Did anyone go to the exhibition?

thats in june isnt it?

ah, fair enough.

it is, and im lokoing forward to it!

I've go to make sure i don't miss it, they shouldd all be interesting designs. The sight seems like it has no room left to me. I assume they are planning on removing some of the newer buildings, as well as the older ones. Seems a bit of a waste to tair down buildings that have only been up about 5 or so years. But as long as the replacement is fantastic, and hopefully tall, then it's not much of a problem i guess.

What date in June is the exhibition?

A final decison is expected to be announced on May 31, and an exhibition on the proposals will be held as part of National Architecture Week (June 17 -26).

Now call me stupid, but isnt that the wrong way round?
Surly the propsals should be put on display before the decision.
Cause after they are useless.

But we're not choosing, so it would make us even more upset when the lowest proposal is chosen, if we saw them all before. I think that makes sense!

its a sort of haha, look what your gettiong but look what you could have had BUT ARE NOT HAVING!

It's a bit like the end of Bullseye with Jim Bowan, "look at thd prize you could have won"

We're getting the caravan!!!!!! (as they wheel away the sports car used when the gambler loses)

plop

Lol

A little snippet in the Evening Mail today about the Mailbox expansion. Work should commence on the "landmark" building by Jaunary 2006. They've pushed forward with the 25 acre redevlopment to help boost jobs in Birmingham after the MG Rover collapse.

prob be unpopular, but i hope its one of the low rises, they seemed more interesting (even though have not seen proposals to make a judgement, just read descriptions)

and in the context of the area may make more sense ??

then again a big fu"" off tower would be great news

i dont think 28 floors can really be described as a big f*ckoff tower!

It can if the floors are 10m high each with a 90m spire on top ;)

Ill settle for a 90-100m tower though, and anway anything thats built is going to be a modern materpiece, another Selfridges style icon, so I could still imagine a gigantic building at least 60m tall with huge floorplates.
Why am I in another time zone?

i dont think 28 floors can really be described as a big f*ckoff tower!

It can if the floors are 10m high each with a 90m spire on top ;)

Ill settle for a 90-100m tower though, and anway anything thats built is going to be a modern materpiece, another Selfridges style icon, so I could still imagine a gigantic building at least 60m tall with huge floorplates.

Why am I in another time zone?

That's weird.

spose not....but guess we will have to wait and see...wander when they will announce a winner ?

The Mailbox have conducted a design competition for their final phase with six leading architects. The designs will be displayed throughout AW in The Mailbox. The architects are Marks Barfield, Ken Shuttleworth's MAKE, Associated Architects, D5, Glenn Howells Architects and Kinetic.
Event Format: Exhibition

Location
The Mailbox
Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RP

Dates & Times:

date AM PM
17 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
18 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
19 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
20 10.00 - 12.30 -18.00
21 10.00 -11.30 12.30 -18.00
22 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
23 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
24 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
25 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00
26 10.00 -12.00 12.30 -18.00

We should find out soon though, a decision was to be made around the 31st of May. Hopefully it will be tomorrow or something. I can't see the tower proposal being the one being chosen because of its location, a tall will not go down too well with the neighbours but we shall see.

We should find out soon though, a decision was to be made around the 31st of May. Hopefully it will be tomorrow or something. I can't see the tower proposal being the one being chosen because of its location, a tall will not go down too well with the neighbours but we shall see.

Well its only a 1 acre site, so anything thats built there will be massive considering how much they want to fit in. 60m minimum I would've thought.

well maybe a tower might not be very welcom in the area but if the tramps tower gets underway aklong with AC, this tower aint going to make much difference!

well maybe a tower might not be very welcom in the area but if the tramps tower gets underway aklong with AC, this tower aint going to make much difference!

Im not sure, because they want it to be a landmark, so even if its only going to be 28 storeys which still could be 100m there be doing something special with it. A few unique towers in Brum would give our skyline a much needed beauty boost.

Its not just about height you no (well it kinda is)

still no news, maybe they will not announce a winner til around the time of architecture week, maximum national publicity !!!

still no news, maybe they will not announce a winner til around the time of architecture week, maximum national publicity !!!

I e-mailed the Mailbox to find out if there would be any sort of press release but Ive forgotten my passwod to get on to my account lol. One of you lot could do it.

:cheers:

i emailed, will let you know if they reply

i emailed, will let you know if they reply

Thanks, E-mailed Miller but they seem to be a bit busy to bother replying about AC. guess they keep miscounting all the floors on our new gigantic tower ;) :cheers:

Thanks, E-mailed Miller but they seem to be a bit busy to bother replying about AC. guess they keep miscounting all the floors on our new gigantic tower ;) :cheers:


:)

the mailbox replied and just said the plans and the winning entry can be seen from 17th June in the Mailbox...they did not say who had won !!

Thanks for trying brum2005.Let's see what has been chosen.

Do they think they're funny? Making us wait until a week Friday. Shall we camp out like those silly ladies trying to get Cliff tickets?

Hey MSP we're not asking for a cliff,a decent building would suffice!!

Not at the rear but at the side of the Red Wonder:

Victorian school to be turned into new homes Jun 7 2005

By Steve Pain, Deputy Business Editor


A historically significant early Victorian school located next to The Mailbox on Severn Street in Birmingham has been acquired by developers Trigram Properties and the Piper Group to create a £7 million predominantly residential development.

Previously known as the British School and later as the Birmingham Athletics Institute, the city council is selling the ornate purpose- built school in order to bring forward its regeneration and save the site from falling into a state of complete disrepair.

Working intensively with the council, the Trigram-Piper joint venture development partnership has landed planning consent to restore and redevelop the cluster of buildings - now called Scholars Gate - as high class apartments, alongside an adjacent new mixed-use building.

Bill Houle, director of Trigram Properties, said: " Having achieved planning consent for Scholars Gate in just 13 weeks, we have now commenced the 15-month restoration programme.

"We believe the fast-track approach to this site's rebirth could pave the way for similar dilapidated listed buildings in central Birmingham to be brought back to life."

Joint venture partner Denis Parkin of Piper Securities Holdings, added: "With its enviable location next to The Mailbox, Scholars Gate will provide a much-needed contrast to the multitude of contemporary apartment schemes being created throughout the city, as well as contribute six high quality apartments for affordable housing, which are vital to accommodate the growing key-worker population.

"The site itself dates back to 1809 and served as one of the UK's first non-denominational schools, whilst also pioneering a revolutionary movement by the Quakers to provide adult education from 1845.

"Having previously been threatened with demolition, we are proud to be able to rewrite Severn Street School into the history books by meticulously restoring the grand Italian Gothic facades to serve as character-rich new homes."

Designed by architects BBLB, three expansive, purpose-built Victorian school buildings dating from 1809 to 1860 will be converted to provide 22 apartments, while an original townhouse will be restored to its former glory to provide a single, special residence.

The original architects were pioneers of their time - Charles Edge who completed Birmingham Town Hall, the Chamberlain & Martin partnership and Yeoville Thomason, who designed the Council House.

The development partnership is optimistic that with such a history, the 23 new homes that will be created within the former school will command premium values when released onto the market next year. Next to the former Severn Street School, a disused car park will provide a further 15 apartments and three commercial units, which are likely to be utilised as high quality office space for small companies.

The new building will be known as Trinity House, due to its location on the corner of Severn Street, Blucher Street and Commercial Street.

Coun Ken Hardeman, Birmingham's cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The redevelopment programme to bring about the revival of this historic cluster of school buildings is significant in our quest to regenerate other challenging sites in the city.

"Trigram Properties and Piper Securities Holdings have proved that it is commercially viable to invest in the restoration of historic buildings and their plans for the Scholars Gate scheme look set to provide high quality housing in one of central Birmingham's most prestigious locations."

The joint venture development partnership is preparing to launch the nine apartments earmarked for private sale at Trinity House this autumn. They are due to be completed by autumn next year. There will also be a further six apartments allocated for affordable housing.

However, the 23 converted homes at Scholars Gate are not scheduled to be released for sale until January 2006, to coincide with the unveiling of a designer showhome, with occupation expected in autumn next year

The selling agent for the scheme - Knight Frank - is already collecting data from interested parties who want to be first in the queue to receive sales information.

You may want to get today's Birmingham Post. There's a big article and it looks like we have a winner.

'The Cube' from MAKE Architects. :)

http://tinypic.com/5urfbb

The winner has been annouced in today's Post. It is MAKE's 17 story cube proposal. The finish is like looking a tv picture really close so you can see the pixels. The other proposals are also show but you can't see the top of Glenn Howells tower.

I can't decide if I like this or not yet! What are the corners doing? Still, it's different, and we need to create eye-catching buildings in certain areas of the city.

I just thought - what are they doing on the street elevation? Are they keeping the Venetian looking facade?

im not sure what to think of it either!!!!!

That looks really exciting - potentially brilliant. The shape makes more sense if you read Terry Grimley's description of it in the earlier Post article - it's a spiral inside a box with the ends sticking out, basically. Am I imagining it or does it have echoes of the extension that the V&A wouldn't let Libeskind build on Exhibition Road, but with the texture teased out from the shape? If they get the materials right for that outer skin bit (a bit of bronze, perhaps?) it could be absolutely stunning.

Why the bridge, though? It's hardly the Aston Expressway round there is it? I thought we ditched ped-ways 30 years ago? Can't it just focus on the street?

Is anybody in a position to scan the other ones? It would be interesting to see what they all came up with.

looks fantastic, they just have to get it past through planning and they want to start building asap

here you go bileduct

http://tinypic.com/5v0vhc

You're a gent, Foxman.

Looks like they made the right choice from those, IMO. None of them look crap, but what's there already looks pretty good, so there's no point knocking them down unless you have a chance of building something really special, which this could be, potentially.

It makes a change to see people not plumping for the safe option.

Mmm, actually, perhaps the Associated Architects one is slightly bordering on the crap. The other two would have been respectable bits of urban infill though. Not sure about having a tower right on the canal, though.

I like it, very daring - could potentially make as big an impact as selfridges. Brum should be developing a rep for this kind of thing.

WOW they all look great like the associated architect one as well, MAKE's design is going to bring Selfridges style impact to an area which is like traditional and classic its really going to stand out and shine.

I think its a brilliant idea of the mailbox to commission a number of architects to to have a design off it's quick and make the architects compete and come up with something special. Others should follow the idea, I'm happy!!!

What do you think about it U475?

Did they have Marks Barfield's design in the post?

Why the bridge, though? It's hardly the Aston Expressway round there is it? I thought we ditched ped-ways 30 years ago? Can't it just focus on the street?Unless, of course, that's the canal elevation instead of the street elevation, in which case this was a pretty stupid comment :lol: :bash:

My my, do I like that. It's like something from Hellraiser. Which can only be a good thing in my book. Far better than getting something red brick with a poncey zinc roof. I hope Make do something in Manc now.

its tsrting to grow on me.

i ust whish there was a view of the building in context with all the other surround buildings included!

with charles church on one side, the ailbox and now this on the other, this is going to be a must see in a few year....imagine the area in afew years as well with AC (in a form ) right nect to it........ i truly good area of loanduse for such a small strect of canal!

The Planning Committee will loathe this.

In reality I would have been happy with any of them. The city side mailbox entrance is a big red cube, and it looks like the bath row entrance with a diagonal pedestrian route though it's atrium will become this uncompromising seventeen storey (yellow? timber?) fretwork faced cube. Brilliant, Birmingham needs more quality leading edge architecture. I love it

The BBC studios look out this direction so it will also get tons of media exposure too. This will replicate the positives which came from the Future Systems building however I don't want to see any more of these iconic fashion/retail lead statements. Our next battle is to improve the quality of the 'glue' between them.

You're right Daz, the council will go into spasm over this

http://tinypic.com/5urfbb

I love it!!!!!!!!!!

Unique, Brum will start to get a reputation like MK said, with daring proposals, and buildings like this.

Selfridges, The Shell Cafe and Now this.

A good height aswell at least 70m+, obviously you cant get a true feel for it as its only a render but when developers want to build such imaginative things in Birmingham it can only be good for the city and hopefully attract more unbelievable projects.

When I see stuff like this I care very little for skyscrapers (obviously I dont) :applause:

And the main thing - Colour on the skyline. Red, Blue and now Gold - all we need now is a giant Green or Purple Building. ;) :cheers:

I'm very pleased with this choice. It's certainly the best out of the designs shown. We've just got to hope they use all the right materials and don't build it on the cheap.

Nice and tall as well.

Sorry guys. I hate it! As will the general public.
Will be shocked if they get permission for it

I agree, ensuring the right materials are used could be fantastic and really exciting building, they all seem quite high calibre of design IMO.

It looks fantastic. I'm just imaging myself photographing this on a nice sunny day with the buildings many colours reflecting in the canal :banana: :banana: :banana:

it is a good proposal..... though im interested to know what the land use ise.

think about it..... its almost cube like in structure..... approx 70m x 70m x 70m

thats a floor plate of over 50,000sqft..... x 17 = and thats something like 900,000sqft of space!....ok we might not see it from all angles and it could be a "L" shape but from that angle, it looks huge!

Well, it's unique and interesting for sure but I find that utterly repulsive!

i sign of good architecture lol.....you either love it or hate it!

I love it

They chosen the most dramatic proposal thats for sure, I absolutely adore it, Certainly bigger than i imagined when they talked about each proposal on the first page of this thread. This is going to make a more dramatic impression that Selfridges (which is tucked away somewhat).

Would much rather have buildings like this than a 150m glass tower. Height is not everything if proposals of this ilk are brought forward. Simply wonderful

MAKE Architects to Create Final Phase of The Mailbox
June 10 2005


Ken Shuttleworth’s MAKE Architects have been announced as the overall winner in the concept design competition for the final phase of The Mailbox.

Their winning entry entitled, ‘The Cube’ beat off exceptionally strong competition from leading London and Birmingham practices to snatch the coveted prize of becoming architects for the final phase of The Mailbox. Now appointed, the MAKE team will set to work on preparing the iconic design for planning permission from the city council.

Alan Chatham Director of Birmingham Development Company (BDC), who are behind this final phase, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the talent and effort which each of the architects has displayed. It was extremely difficult to choose the first place practice, but in the end the judging panel were unanimous that make should be elected as the winner.”

With an atrium which twists round as it climbs to the full height of the building, the 17 storey steel and glass ‘mathematically pure’ cube structure is enclosed by an innovative fretwork screen with a cut-a-way open side facing away from the canal at the top. It is hoped the unique building will become the next opportunity to put the city on the architectural world stage.

The £60 million project will be an extension of the existing mixed-use offering in The Mailbox, with 390,000 sq ft of accommodation housing high quality residential, offices, restaurants, a small boutique hotel and retail intended to be aimed at the home wares sector. There will also be a rooftop restaurant, reached by a scenic glass lift offering panoramic views over the city.

Having worked with Sir Norman Foster at Foster and Partners on projects such as the Swiss Re building, otherwise known as The Gherkin, Ken Shuttleworth founded MAKE in January 2004; this is thought to be a pivotal project for the young practice, who now hope to open a Birmingham office following their second important instruction in the city.

Ken Shuttleworth commented: "We are absolutely delighted, this is our second high profile project in Birmingham, following Digbeth coach station, and we hope to be able to open a Birmingham office on the strength of winning this competition.”

Five invited practices entered the six week competition alongside MAKE; these included the original designers of The Mailbox, Associated Architects; Marks Barfield, the creators of the London Eye; D5, known for their terminal extension at Birmingham Airport; Glenn Howells Architects, who are currently working on the Liverpool Lime Street project and Kinetic AIU, who designed Birmingham’s Kingsbury Locks.

Glenn Howells produced a stunning slender 28 storey rectangular tower, which would provide stunning reflections on the adjacent canal; D5 used an innovative concept to design a unique building to stand out from other developments in Birmingham and reflect the complexity of the concept with a number of cantilevers, levels and materials; Marks Barfield designed three twisting gold towers, emerging from a garden podium; Kinetic designed dual buildings focused around a piazza with an encircling crystalline louvered skin to give the scheme an instantly recognisable identity; Associated Architects followed the theme of a sanctuary to develop a scheme which would encourage people into the centre of the scheme where an inner courtyard would continue the exclusive ambiance of the original Mailbox.

The public will have the unusual opportunity to view all six final submissions in a week long exhibition taking place as part of the Architecture Week events taking place at The Mailbox from June 17-26.

With MAKE now crowned as the winner, Birmingham Development Company have already entered the pre planning application process with the aim to start on site at the beginning of 2006 with total completion scheduled for 2007.

Alan continued: “The process has been a very creative and enjoyable one and we now look forward to moving on to our pre-application planning discussion with the planning team at Birmingham City Council, and the many other consultations we intend to have with interested parties.”



God I hope the council have the balls to allow this !!!

i've been dwn here ytonight and if they do build this or anything on a similar scale it will be amazing. From what I can make out it will be about the same height as centenary plaza and is going to add so much mass to the area. There are a couple of new residential blocks about to go up around the mailbox too whicjh they look like BBLB structures to me. Wa;likg from the craven arms imagining what this could look like was awe inspiring. If it all carries on at this pace this part of town is going to be WORLDCLASS! :applause:

The smaller canal side blocks opposite bobby browns with the geese outside must have their days numbered. Something tallish here would be very very sweet. go on build the howells tower there, I fucking dare you ! :) I love this town

As longh as tyhere's still geese wanderig around.

whats BBLB?

I don't want to see any more of these iconic fashion/retail lead statements. Our next battle is to improve the quality of the 'glue' between them.

You're right Daz, the council will go into spasm over thisYeah - an endless sucession of self-consciously wacky shapes trying to out-Bilbao each other is definitely not what Birmingham needs. That's the problem I have with the Associated Architects proposal - it looks like a couple of fairly standard apartment blocks designed by somebody muttering "must make it an unusual shape" to themselves.

Birmingham's got an excellent track record at urban glue in some ways, though. Even going back a couple of decades, the ICC/Centenary Square development may have been abysmal as architecture, but it was excellent as a piece of place-making, and Brindley Place only really has the first phase of Broadgate as competition as a beacon of national excellence in this respect.

The bit that Birmingham seems to have struggled to accept is that it is worth spending money to get talented people to make interesting, sometimes challenging designs on a building by building level too: that architecture can have aspirations above simply not being damaging to what's already there. The idea that architects can be worth the money because they can get you a bit af cheap publicity a-la Guggenheim/Selfridges is better than nothing (though it's not clear that the Tory algae running the council get even this), but the biggest step is putting the effort in even for out of the way stuff that's never going to be famous, but might just quietly make the area more attractive.

Southside, City Park Gate and now this are pretty encouraging in this respect, though tempered by Masshouse, and that new college in Eastside. Let's hope there's enough continuity in the planning depts permanent staff to prevent the Council regressing even further.

-----------------------------

BTW, has anyone seen the D5 proposal? That sounded pretty interesting too...

Iconic buildings is what this city needs. Anyone been watching these programmes about clone towns? It will be clone cities in the future ... I would rather be different and be hated for it then be the same as everyone else.

Had a walk around the Holliday wharf development, will this proposal by MAKE mean the demolition of the canalside Italian restaurant, that was Fish! ?

Had a walk around the Holliday wharf development, will this proposal by MAKE mean the demolition of the canalside Italian restaurant, that was Fish! ?

Good point, but I doubt it. It would have to be a really large pay packet for it to be moved, its in a prime location and I dont think the council would want to get rid of little niche restaurants and cafe's like these.

I assume its going- sort of a shame cos its a nice buidling. Don salvo is a shockign restaurant by all accounts though.

whats BBLB?

These guys http://www.blb-architects.co.uk/ It looks like they have changed their name slightly by growing another B

A pic of the site.....small isn't it compared to Holiday Wharf and the Postbox. The residents behind the Cube are not going to be too chuffed are they.

http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/birmingham/bmc32.htm

Ihopethatlittletowerthingstays.

http://www.mailboxlife.com/news/left/2005061315436.html

theres a tiny little rendering in this news article, makes it look even more intriuging

Christ, that looks even worse that the first rendering.

Christ, that looks even worse that the first rendering.

You can hardly see it

yes you can hardly see it but of what you can, does seem weird, but i suppose we said the same abouy selfridges

Weird ? Isn't weird what made places like Barcelona and Prague so attractive and different ?

Innovative is a better description, Maybe ?

I like the idea of the rooftop restaurant. I really hope its gets through planning. Imagine walking along that canal towards the Mailbox and you walk across the bridge and see this in front of you. :eek2:

is anybody attending the exhibition on Friday ?

is anybody attending the exhibition on Friday ?

Nope sorry - Would love for someone to get there though and take some shots - If not, im sure someone will on saturday.

I'll probably head down to the exhibition and see what its all about.

Personally I think this will be a fantastic, bold addition to the city, providing it escapes the planning department unencumbered. Fingers crossed.

I'll probably head down to the exhibition and see what its all about.

Personally I think this will be a fantastic, bold addition to the city, providing it escapes the planning department unencumbered. Fingers crossed.

No possibility at all that this wont be accepted - Its just got to big for the council to turn down.

whats it going to cost?

whats it going to cost?

£60m

yeah i think the mailbox will have a lot of clout with the council, they have also been in talks with the planning department all the way

its the council officers that recommend to the planning comittee to accept or not, they are the proffessionals, not the councillors, so I suggest the planning officers will go for this, and the councillors will too, as it will be good for the city and I bet this will do something slefridges did not, get universal critical acclaim

I'll probably head down to the exhibition and see what its all about.


Don't forget your camera :)

When/Where is this exhibition by the way?

(I know I could find out but I can't be arsed).

Is it on for a while, like? Not just Friday? If so, I'll pile up on Satters and see what the fuss is aboot.

friday as part of architecure week in the mailbox, i think it will last a week or so, several events have already started in the mailbox

Oh, if it's on that long I'll probably take a look down there as well.

@Rigadon

As a Kentish Judoka (or should that be "Judoka of Kent" :? ), do you know how MAKE's Dartford Dojo is shaping up? That's supposed to be their first completed building.

Did we know that Ken is originally from Brum or at least born here in 1945, think he was raised here then studied at Leicester but don't quote me n that. Here some more info on the perp: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/critic/feature/0,1169,1094530,00.html

also, you lot may want to look at the architecture week website.

not only does it quote the mailbox event, but theres also an event in the central librry called "room with a view". its to bring awareness of Birminghams current skylines and highrises and to open debate on future development!

sounds interesting!

also, you lot may want to look at the architecture week website.

not only does it quote the mailbox event, but theres also an event in the central librry called "room with a view". its to bring awareness of Birminghams current skylines and highrises and to open debate on future development!

sounds interesting!

Umm ... interesting, someone better go to that.

so was it really ken or norman foster who was behind the brains of SwissRe and wembley? because all the cresid seems to be going to foster

exhibition well worth a look, Glenn Howells tower looks interesting, maybe someone else will want to build it in the city !!! but I think they picked the best design ? overall

exhibition well worth a look, Glenn Howells tower looks interesting, maybe someone else will want to build it in the city !!! but I think they picked the best design ? overall

I think Glenn Howells will be building something big in Birmingham within the immediate future - in 5 years ;)

How big is the cube? compared to Gleen Howells design?

And why didnt you take any pictures ;) :cheers:

sorry did not take camera....there are models for each scheme and a great flythrough for makes design

well worth a look if you can.... i think its on til 29th June x

i would say the cube is 10 storeys lower than the tower, but the cube seems to fit the space better, IMO although the tower itself looked great and hopefully could end up somewhere else in the city....Kinetics was quite interesting too, did not like Associated Architects

I visited the exhibition too very nice proposals, i really liked the Glenn Howells tower, nice to see good local talent, like you say brum2003 would be great to see the tower built somewhere else and d5 was very bizarre bit too wacky.

Overall The Make proposal came across the most special for me, it isn't the tallest but the model they had on display really looked good and looked the best design for the site. Can't wait to see it finished.

where exactly is it within the mailbox?

@Rigadon

As a Kentish Judoka (or should that be "Judoka of Kent" :? ), do you know how MAKE's Dartford Dojo is shaping up? That's supposed to be their first completed building.


vaguely. Im going to datford this weekend and our find out what my sister knows/vist the site if possible. My sister coaches at the club though isnt all that interested in buildings.

Iwouldn expect too much though - the budget is quite tight. The previous designs by a japenese arhcitect were marvellous but got too expensive.

Yes Ken Shuttleworth is now 50yrs old, b.1954, a fellow Brummie, and is committed apparently to being involved in the success of the renaissance of our fair city. When he left Foster's and Co, he set up Make, taking with him eighteen of Lord Norman's staff. He is, as reported in the Sunday Times,accredited by many "as one of the major creative forces behind Foster (& Co's) 'gherkin' project in the city of London.", and as 'Ken the pen' he has been credited too for numerous other large projects, during his thirty years with Foster's.

I'm not sure if this link may have already been posted, but this is from the West Midlands Ideas Factory website, which has a feature on Make's Birmingham cube, including 'Ken the pen's ' sketches for it.

http://westmidlands.ideasfactory.com/art_design/features/feature57.htm


PS.It is referred to as " a true man-made diamond" , maybe another one like it could also act as treasure in the surroundings of the jewellery quarter.

Thanks for the link.Very interesting.

intresting that article claims that the "shiny" design for the coach station has been aproved by NX, so hopefully we should see renders soon

Birmingham has gone renders crazy at the moment so you never know!

Birmingham has gone renders crazy at the moment so you never know!

Talking of renders, this looks quite sexy - Im not sure if its in Birmingham, but its Aston Locks so I am guessing so lol ;) :cheers:

Project: Aston Locks
Client: Metropolitan Apartments
Key data: Study for mixed use canalside building.
Approx value: £6m.
Completion: to be confirmed


http://www.kinetic-aiu.com/resized_images/1014_02.jpg

http://www.kinetic-aiu.com/resized_images/1014_kingsbury.jpg

That looks fantastic wherever it is (there is an Aston in Sheffield as well), but it's exactly the kind of low rise development we're crying out for in Brum. Love the colours.

where exactly is it within the mailbox?

Its in the unit on the street wharf where Ralph Lauren was, if you walk in from the front (don't take the escalators) its about the 3rd/4th on the right hand side.

That looks fantastic wherever it is (there is an Aston in Sheffield as well), but it's exactly the kind of low rise development we're crying out for in Brum. Love the colours.

Im pretty sure its Birmingham ... Infact im positive, because you can see a faded mid-rise in the shot and also the type of brick work by the canals is definately brummie style :cheers:

It looks sexy and like you said Smiley these are the sort of projects Birmingham's canals needs :banana:

Ill post these pictures again at the top of this page.

Talking of renders, this looks quite sexy - Im not sure if its in Birmingham, but its Aston Locks so I am guessing so lol :cheers:


Project: Aston Locks
Client: Metropolitan Apartments
Key data: Study for mixed use canalside building.
Approx value: £6m.
Completion: to be confirmed

http://www.kinetic-aiu.com/resized_images/1014_02.jpg

http://www.kinetic-aiu.com/resized_images/1014_kingsbury.jpg

:banana:

And we thought today was the day, Brum's marathon of renders was going to end lol ...

Its been a busy couple of months hasnt it :cheers: More to comes aswell with MAKES coach station and Richard Rogers - City Park Gate towers due this month, not to mention others which have bound to have slipped past us.

Its looking very, very, very good at the moment. :)

Good work BC.

Good work BC.

Agreed, you're doing the business at the moment with all these finds

Thanks, but I really have to start doing more with my life ;) :cheers:

The football season doesn't start again till August so we're all at a loose end at the moment....keep finding those renders you're doing a fantastic job

this aston lock development it located at (funnily enough) aston lock, just north of the aston science park. the buildings to the right of that redering i believe is a hotel (something like a travel lodge kinda thing) and the building in the distance is the blue building (mandela house or something like that) at the aston science park

Here come the banana's

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

IKEA have confirmed today that they will be opening smaller 'high street' size shops in developments with high quality residential apartments above. The June 10th headline (previously quoted by brum2003) states 'MAKE architects to create final stage of the Mailbox'", and includes a reference to the development that will include "... retail intended to be aimed at the home wares sector."
This may be a long-shot, and it is early yet, but in view of IKEA's intention to develop smaller shops, then an association with such a development as the Cube, could fit their requirements perfectly, being in close proximity to the other prestige shops at the Mailbox too.

Interesting find there, good work BC.

If this is the Aston Science Park extension its tucked out of the way - something you have to go looking for.

There's a large render of The Cube on the cover of this week's Property Week, and I can't say it's a pretty sight. It looks like a Borg Cube with go-faster stripes and a spoiler. But anyway, if anybody can get a copy you can see much more detail than those previously posted.

I went to the exhibition today on a merry trek round our fine city, and took some photos. Give us a tick to get 'em up all up and I'll post the buggers.

Associated Architects:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0089.jpg

Someone else:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0090.jpg

Another one:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0092.jpg

Cubey boy:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0091.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0095.jpg

The Tower:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0094.jpg

The other one:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0093.jpg

i thought the cube was the best after looking at it more. There's a good flythrough at the exhibition which showed how it'll work better than pictures can really. Looks alright though. I reckon it'll turn out for the good.

Some very interesting proposals there. Not sure I'm overly keen on the winner in the same way I wasn't sure about their defunct 'Kite Tower' proposal for Leeds.

Having said that, I'm sure you don't get a proper appreciation of its impact from these renders. Here's another one....

http://www.property-week.co.uk/Pictures/web/e/j/v/FRONT_VIEW_CMYK.jpg


Architect Make has been chosen to design the £60m final phase of the Mailbox in Birmingham.

It will be called ‘The Cube’



I like the stuff these Kintetic boys are churning out though. The Tate tower concept looks marvelous. :)

There's a large render of The Cube on the cover of this week's Property Week, and I can't say it's a pretty sight. It looks like a Borg Cube with go-faster stripes and a spoiler. But anyway, if anybody can get a copy you can see much more detail than those previously posted.

Good job you wont have to live with it then :cheers:

Thanks for those guys, look really good. I think Glenn Howells will more then likely, being a Brum architect build a similar tower else where in the city :)

Thanks for the leg work Blunther.I remember when the Selfridges rendering was first published.We ,if I remember rightly,were underwhelmed by it .....look what happened;possibly the most iconic building Birmingham has got.Out of the entries I would have gone for the tall one.I hope I'm pleasantly suprised again.

I went to the exhibition today on a merry trek round our fine city, and took some photos. Give us a tick to get 'em up all up and I'll post the buggers.

Beat me to it mate - I was planning to go mondaytime. The tower would have been nice, but - oh well. Build it somewhere else I say.

bugger - the tower looks best to me

I am most impressed by the associated architects effort although I find its downfall is that it is a bit of a mess, this project will work best if it is one main centrepiece IMO, the tower looks fantastic and a bit of a shame it's not going up I guess, the cube is also bizarre and quite stunning from intitial renders, isn't ken shuttleworth form Brum? I'm sure he is.

The one good thing about having a Tory run council is knowing that rubbish like this won't get approved.

The one good thing about having a Tory run council is knowing that rubbish like this won't get approved.


The way the renderings are done makes it look quite a bit different to what the finished product would look like. You have to try and look passed the odd colours and messy facade, to see what the building would actually look like when built.

Sounds a bit stupid, but i think you know what i mean.

Had a look round the exhibition today in the hope it might change my view of this.
It didn't.
The mailbox is a large bulky building and building another large bulky building next door will look awful imo. It needs a contrast and the Glen Howells tower fits the bill perfectly. I do hope this is built somewhere in the city as its a beaut.

The canal views from such a tall tower would have been something else.

ill be going up town over the next few days to see them for myself.....am looking forward to seeing wat all the hype is about!

ill be going up town over the next few days to see them for myself.....am looking forward to seeing wat all the hype is about!


So will I, I think they gone for the best design out of the proposals Blunther posted (thanks for those btw) The Glen Howells tower looks good but its not that special definitely not going to generate the interest/criticism/wow factor that this proposal will i think.

http://westmidlands.ideasfactory.com/art_design/features/feature57.htm


CUBIC ZIRCONIUM Soon to stud the second city's increasingly iconic skyline is a true man-made diamond. Youthful design practice MAKE - fronted by renowned Birmingham-born architect Ken Shuttleworth - saw off impressive competition to bring their 'Cube' to the table. And, Nick Carson learns, it's all about pedestrian power.
Worth a second look, isn't it? A mathematically pure cube, enclosed by a fretwork screen, cut away on one side to reveal an atrium spiralling up through its core to the sky above. Seventeen stories of innovative design, and a rooftop restaurant for panoramic views of the city.

But innovation aside, something that moved MAKE's design to the top of the pile was its consideration of pedestrians in a city that has only recently started to put them first.

"This building fits into its urban context," declares its co-designer John Prevc: "It's all hung on how routes carve city lines through the cube."


WHERE PATHS CONVERGE
The site in question is a complicated one, and once developed will form a convergence point for two of these major 'city lines', linking New Street station with Broad Street, Brindleyplace with the Mailbox.

"Having pedestrian routes carving up the building means reading the city at walking pace," says Prevc. Working as a consultant in Copenhagen - a city leading the way in re-humanising urban environments - inevitably impacted his design philosophy. "You don't have to rush around anymore; you can walk and actually get there quicker."

He adds that the area in question functions in several layers, from commercial street level down to canal level. A second bridge over the waterway was an integral part of all six design proposals, but MAKE's concept cuts a diagonal route straight through the centre of the building - potentially an alternative front entrance to the Mailbox in the future.


DON'T BOX ME IN
"We see a building as part of a city; its form is never pre-supposed," he goes on. "But a cube has strong identity in itself. People respond to it immediately. And I suppose an association with the Mailbox links it back to its mothership, in a way..."

It may look ambitious, but another tick in the right box is the design's practicality. "It's a strong, well-defined piece of architecture, but it's also infinitely deliverable," explains Prevc. "It's different from a simple cube, but it's still a logical piece of geometry."


AHEAD OF THE FIELD
The brief for the Mailbox's design competition was a fairly open one, allowing the six firms to flex their creative muscles. Beyond the fundamental need for a multi-functional space containing shops, offices, apartments and a hotel - and the obvious space restrictions of the site - the paper was blank. Here's how Ken Shuttleworth filled it:



Glenn Howells' scheme, popular with the judges for its simplicity, saw a slender, twenty-eight-storey rectangular tower framing a pedestrian thoroughfare with two lower-rise blocks - but a high-glazed reception area, although aesthetically appealing, was considered a commercial liability. Local firm D5, whose work includes the expansion of Birmingham International Airport, produced one of the more striking buildings with various cantilevers, different levels and materials forming a tall, open structure with a large horizontal block facing the canal.

Creators of the London Eye, Marks Barfield sculpted three twisting gold towers out of a garden podium structure, while Kinetic AIU suggested a highly distinctive - but ultimately uneconomical - crystalline louvred skin, encircling dual buildings around a central piazza. Finally, Associated Architects strove to create a tranquil atmosphere akin to their original Mailbox by drawing people to an inner courtyard. However the pros of their taxi drop-off point - designed to cater to hotel residents - did not outweigh their lack of consideration for casual canalside strollers in the eyes of the judges.

"The competition has been a learning process for everyone concerned in how best to deliver excellence in a commercial context," says Terry Grimley, Arts Editor of the Birmingham Post and a member of the judging panel. "Hopefully, it will prove a staging post in delivering higher architectural standards for the city." Construction on the £60m project could start as early as 2006.


NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Born in Coventry, Prevc - like fellow Midlander Ken Shuttleworth - is keen to champion his local region, and London-based MAKE plan to launch a Birmingham office on the back of their success. "There's lots going on in the city and we've purposely gone out to try and work there," he says.

"Like all cities, Birmingham is trying to attract investment, and has realised that the quality of its architecture and its public spaces is a major benefit and a major attraction. It's become a much bigger holistic feature of the city." Before MAKE was established in January last year, the pair worked together under the prestigious Norman Foster banner, where Shuttleworth built his reputation with London's undeniably noticeable Swiss Re building, aka The Gherkin.

Another significant project in the pipeline is their shiny new replacement for Digbeth Coach Station, the latest design for which has recently received approval from National Express and, Prevc reveals, could form an iconic gateway to the city from the east. "Birmingham is a fantastic place, full of vision and forward-thinking," he enthuses. "Not every building should be a statement, but hopefully we're somewhere

That cube is one hell of a building! Lucky Birmingham is producing some stonking architecture of late.

i couldnt find the CUBE thread but

right then, to those of you who want to throw their weight behind this project, then here is possibly your one and only time.

http://80.86.36.120/vault/XDDocStore_3/0116096_issues%20report%20Commercial%20Street%20The%20Cube.pdf

The front page has the email address of the planner who is covering this proposal.

......... Ian.Holliday@birmingham.gov.uk

to those of you who want to get this thing built, then now is the time to make your mark........ DONT LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS!!!

I think a lot of people will be surprised what this looks like if/when it gets built. The building is INSIDE the thing that we see - it is just a fretwork facade that the renders show... I love this already - so quirky.

Thanks for the pdf Woody - will bombard him ;)

i know what you mean....... its almost as if this is two seperate building from the inside.....and huge 17 storey canyon

sorry just to go off topic slightly

Digbeth Coach Station, the latest design for which has recently received approval from National Express and, Prevc reveals, could form an iconic gateway to the city from the east.


that sounds like the new coach station is going to be of considerable size/height!?!?!

It wont be tall or any bigger than the current coach station, i think he means iconic architecturally, not size. remember they are only spending 7 million, which does not buy you alot in England

This could be pretty funky though - it is £7 million without having to buy the land, and all it is really is a shed with offices & facilities attached - should be nice! :)

yeah i agree, judging by MAKE's other stuff, it should be the bollox x

they been talking about this for ages, i wanna see a rendering bastards

As part of the redevelopment of the coach station I hope the council spend some money on changing the route coaches take into the station.
When I was out taking photos the other week I noticed coaches use the back streets of Digbeth to get across to the station from the west (A38/A456). This is probably the most grim, run-down and dirty area of the city centre and hardly the best showcase to offer people as they pass through on the coach.
Just a few bollards to narrow the roads would stop coaches using these routes and force drivers to use the ring road (which is where the coaches should be!). I know it's superficial, but it's a cheap thing to do and would make Birmingham look much more inviting to visitors as they arrive in the city.

or even better.....redevelop the grim parts lol

I agree Steve-e-b - the heavy traffic should be using the ring road and not wrecking the back streets and their buildings.

or even better.....redevelop the grim parts lol
That would be my first choice, but I'm thinking along the lines of how the council operates - and the cost of a few 'traffic-calming-measures' (i.e. bollards) is a lot cheaper and quicker to implement.

And...
the impression I get from the Digbeth area as I pass through on the number 12, is that despite some establishments closing due to impact of Longbridge most of the businesses there are healthy.
So I can't see the area being redeveloped into apartments (which is where almost all of the investment is at the moment) and even if the factories were cleaned-up, they would still be oily factories and not the gateway into the city the council are trying to create.

The Post reports that the marketing and lettings teams have been appointed for the Cube, so that must mean the developer is confident that it will get through planning (maybe he's been tipped the wink? After all - planning seem to be all for BST!).

Also - the Cube is expected to start early 2006, and Make's other project, the coach station, is reported as "expected to be progressed by the end of the year" whatever that means. Start on-site?

Usherling
What a most beautiful building, it's awe inspiring, elegant adn such a monster in many ways. I have fallen in love with this building. I am in such hope that it get through the pathetic process of planning permission and is finished on the time they say it will be. This could be such an iconic building of amazing ability within the symbol of Birmingham as Selfridges. Let us all be dribble at it now

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/4495/frontviewcmyk5ut.th.jpg (http://img347.imageshack.us/my.php?image=frontviewcmyk5ut.jpg)


http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/6710/3065thecubepic20sp.th.jpg (http://img330.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3065thecubepic20sp.jpg)

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/3706/feature57a1iv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/2039/feature57b6vj.th.jpg (http://img330.imageshack.us/my.php?image=feature57b6vj.jpg)

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/7406/img00916gy.th.jpg (http://img347.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img00916gy.jpg)

i want a bloody picture of the coach station now!

So do I It is expected to be pretty funky, an awful lot bigger that Walsall's Bus station but it is rummored that it is a huge building. Yes I want a Picture NOW lol

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/7406/img00916gy.th.jpg (http://img347.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img00916gy.jpg)

Indeed, it's a stunner. And just think, this time next year it should well be rising high in front of our eyes :cheers:

Hi
isn't this the Coach Station, these were on a thread on this website.

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/5034/derit6ps.th.jpg (http://img352.imageshack.us/my.php?image=derit6ps.jpg)

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/7783/digbethcoachstation9ki.th.jpg (http://img92.imageshack.us/my.php?image=digbethcoachstation9ki.jpg)

Well it might have been changed but I dunno

Dude pic of chips, ive already cum in my pants and i'm dribbling

Great find on the Cube Usherling! Nice work :)

That's not the coach station - that's the first draft of the replacement for international stock further down Digbeth High St...

Hope it gets built!

I think, anyway...

Oh well, it i'll be an addition to our skyline erm somewhat, lol and it'll be modern so i'm not arguing
Usherling

That's not the coach station - that's the first draft of the replacement for international stock further down Digbeth High St...

Hope it gets built!

Yes it is international stock and apparently it has planning permission.

Usherling
. This could be such an iconic building of amazing ability within the symbol of Birmingham as Selfridges. Let us all be dribble at it now

]

When we had the renderings of Selfridges nobody banged on about it;it caught us all by surprise,eventually turning out to be one of the best buildings in the city.When The Cube was chosen I was disappointed and would have prefered the tall option.However,little by little I'm being pulled around.This could be a fantastic feather in Brum's cap.

I was intrigued by Selfridges but never expected it to be what it is, and the Cube will be fabulous - much better than the tower.

It's just occurred to me, Usherling seems to be doing a lot of dribbling, and now he's..erm.. cumming :lol:

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/3706/feature57a1iv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Can someone remind me where the cube is to be built.
I thought it was to the south side of the mailbox, but this image shows it next to water - is that a new stretch of water (one of the features of the design) or is it the B'ham-Worcester canal?

Can someone remind me where the cube is to be built.
I thought it was to the south side of the mailbox, but this image shows it next to water - is that a new stretch of water (one of the features of the design) or is it the B'ham-Worcester canal?

It's being built to the west of the mailbox, just along from the hotel out the back (can't remember the name). It's the plot of land on your right as you come over the bridge from gas st. basin.

Its whrer Don salvo (was Fish0 is streching back to the road

yeah, its where that restaurant is ...the one the used to be "fish"

Aha, I get it - I recognise that bridge now!
That's going to be some structure, very dominate from all along the canal, right up to Gas St basin. It's also going to make the area feel very dense: imagine walking out of the Mailbox and seeing that towering above you! :drool:

Whenever I walk through the mailbox it's dead. I don't know how those shops stay in business :(

They only need to sell 10 items a day it why there boutique ;)

lol 10 items a day...thats a month rent lol

lol 10 items a day...thats a month rent lol
I think that's what you have to remember when you walk through the Mailbox. It's not like the Bullring or markets; they don't need huge numbers of browsing customers, just a few paying clients. These places can sell one or two items a day, pack up and everyone slope off down the booza.
With the exception of Tony & Gui (sic) the shops are never that busy.

If Orion manage to let some shopfronts out to good Clients, along with a few more on John Bright St then business in the Mailbox should pick up.

With the addition of the Cube and AC it it a good place to be!

Steve-e-b - why did you sic the Toni & Guy misspelling? Because you didn't want to correct it? :?

Steve-e-b - why did you sic the Toni & Guy misspelling? Because you didn't want to correct it?
I honestly thought it was Tony (with a 'y'), but then I realised you couldn't have Guy with an 'i'. It was too much effort to hold down the backspace key so I typed '(sic)' instead.

I honestly thought it was Tony (with a 'y'), but then I realised you couldn't have Guy with an 'i'. It was too much effort to hold down the backspace key so I typed '(sic)' instead.

And now you've had to type and explanation!!!

That'll teach ya! :)

And now you've had to type and explanation!!!
That'll teach ya!
:tongue:

:lol:

Jonesey :)
The Mailbox is a very luxurious place with VERY expensive cloths and even candles (cloths and stuff) so as people have siad they only have to sell a few dresses and trousers and they've made a few grands and i'm not joking, they go down the pup then and get pissed so i've changed my job and i'm working at the Mailbox. :cheers:

Tragus to add an extra splash of red to Birmingham Oct 14 2005
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.


Cafe Rouge will be coming to the Mailbox as part of a major expansion of the restaurant chain.

Parent company Tragus Holdings made the announcement yesterday after unveiling a 31 per cent rise in annual profits to £12.3 million.

Plans are in place for a total of 36 restaurants to be added to the 82-strong estate of Cafe Rouge over the next three years.

The Mailbox restaurant will be opening in the unit currently occupied by the Charles Church marketing suite - the estate agents are moving to offices at their Holliday Wharf and Quartz developments.


A spokeman for Tragus said they expected the restaurant to be open by spring 2006 and that there was a signinficant chance that other sites would open up across the West Midlands next year.

oooooh another expensive cafe in Brum I welcome it with warm cuddly arms. It'll do the ecconomy some good

isnt there already a cafe rouge in brindley place?

yes and one in the bullring too.

WAHEH THE more the merrier, and why don't they go to Merry Hill.

ha hey, see that jokes been preparing it all night

No mention of 2 jags being involved in the post

The Cube finishes last chapter of The Mailbox
Dec 2 2005


By Steve Pain, Deputy Business Editor


The Birmingham Development Company has been given the green light by city planning officials to build The Cube - the final phase of The Mailbox development.

Work on the futuristic building is scheduled to start next spring.

Alan Chatham, director of Birmingham Development Company, said yesterday: "Since we announced the national design competition back in April for the final phase of The Mailbox, it has been a hectic few months to get to this stage in record time.

"Now, to begin December with permission to bring a building of this calibre to Birmingham is just fantastic. We are thrilled that the city has recognised what we are trying to achieve with The Cube - a building truly incredible both in its structure and content."

He added: "What has been accomplished to date in the city's regeneration has been nothing short of amazing, yet we hope to set a new benchmark for developments in Birmingham.

"The Cube will bring forward a new standard of architecture and a building which will not only be Birmingham's most striking waterside location, but also one which is identifiable around the world."

The building, with a value of over £100 million, has been designed by internationally renowned architects MAKE, also commissioned for the new Digbeth Coach Station.

Led by Ken Shuttleworth, formerly of Foster and Partners, the design team has created a 17- storey cube aimed at providing a spectacular contrast to the increasing number of towers on the Birmingham cityscape.

Inside, a stunning open atrium which twists as it climbs the height of the 450,000sq ft building will be lined with coloured glass and combined with an exterior clad in shimmering metallic fretwork, the building has visible links to Birmingham's heritage in engineering and jewellery manufacture.

Uses for the mixed-use building include the city's first rooftop restaurant, plus a boutique hotel and residential apartments with internal views over the twisting atrium. Further down, high specification Grade A office space is planned with more exclusive retail and waterside restaurants at the base.

Agents have already been appointed to cover the mix of uses with Knight Frank Birmingham taking calls on the residential apartments, and DTZ and GBR acting as joint letting agents for the offices.

Retail specialists, Markham Vaughan Gillingham, are working on the retail and restaurant elements, Knight Frank's London office is appointed for the hotel and CBRE is acting as strategic planning consultants.

Transforming what is currently a predominantly derelict site adjacent to The Mailbox - The Cube is expected to encourage new investment into the area of the city, much as The Mailbox triggered a myriad of residential developments in and around the area after opening in late 2000.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Coun Mike Whitby said: "The Cube breaks all the boundaries of what has been achieved in Birmingham so far.

"Our city is a city of the future and as a futuristic building with phenomenal foresight in style and design, it is indicative of our plans in how we see Birmingham developing.

"The Mailbox has already raised the bar in the quality and calibre of our architecture and retail offering, the worldwide brand names and stylish restaurants have given Birmingham a contemporary profile rivalling the capitals of Europe. The Cube will help to elevate us onto a global stage."

The building is to be located between The Mailbox caf» bars and restaurants, Washington Wharf apartments, Commercial Street and the Birmingham Worcester canal.

Birmingham Development Company is aiming to begin demolition and enabling works in 2006, with overall completion scheduled for 2008.

The Mail's talking balls then?

Good thing if so.

Or maybe I was hallucinating?! :jippo:

well i read the mail article last night too so you wern't hallucinating.

Don't you just love the Mike Whitby quote "The Cube breaks all the boundaries of what has been achieved in Birmingham so far. Our city is a city of the future and as a futuristic building with phenomenal foresight in style and design, it is indicative of our plans in how we see Birmingham developing."

So why aren't you fucking building the futuristic and stylish Richard Rogers Library?

cus he's a cunt ?

He's all talk and no bollocks that man. At least Sir Al got on with his "vision".

http://www.thecubeiscoming.com/

it most certainly is...

I fucking hope so....
That voice freaks me out... :)
Great website.. Kenny Boy has got an accent like me... :eek2:
Watch the videos.. They are brill.. and watch out for *The Cube Is Coming*

you beat me to it :)

This is very good news for the end of 2005, the 'Cube' is a truly innovative concept, and to think we will actually be enjoying this spectacular building in Birmingham is just the Christmas present we need. (shame about the loss of the Italian restaurant (whichwas Fish!)as I liked that part of the canalside where old industrial Brum met the modern Mailbox). I hope we don't also lose that cobbled walkway either, as that is a grand place to take photos of the canal area looking upwards to Gas Street basin.

It was on T.V. according to my dad, it has the go ahead.

Sorry to be the voice of dissent, but I've got some serious reservations about this building.

I usually champion bold contemporary architecture like this, but I feel The Cube really does elbow its way onto its site with all the subtlety of a meat cleaver. I prefer the more intimate scale of what is already there to the domineering scale and shape of this squatting Buddha of a building.

There are certain things I like about the building - the outer skin looks interesting and the rooftop restaurant looks fabulous, but I'm a bit concerned about the way it meets the canal.

And I do feel it is a shame to lose the existing buildings, which have so much character, and the likes of which so many have quietly disappeared, unmourned, this century alone. (I took some great pictures of them last night - as well as night shots of the BT Tower, but have no idea how to post them on here - help!)

The Cube would be a cracking addition to the cityscape if it were on the other side of The Mailbox, adjacent to Suffolk Street Queensway, in place of that nondescript office block by Emporio Armani. But by the canal? The scale is, for me, unpalatable.

Still, I'm not surprised it got the go-ahead. Birmingham has always been prone to gigantism, preferring big headline-grabbing schemes to more subtle conservation-led improvements, and proud of its landmarks while hoping no-one notices some of the iffy stuff that lies between them.

Oh Yes... I feel the same concerns of you... :tongue4:
The Cube will be..Is... a grand Building.. For it to be placed by a Road would not meet satisfaction.. It has to be placed by a canal.. It is a waterside building , and it also adds chatracter... The buildings already there I am sure will not be missed ... Maybe by you...
Do you not like it..?

The website's fabulous! It is a bit of a shame to lose the restaurant already there, plus those Venetian fronted buildings at street face, but let's get on with it, because this is completely unique.

It's not so much that I don't like it - I just don't like it *there*. Its colossal bulk is completely out of scale with its immediate surroundings. It's too tall - yet not tall enough to be classed a tower.

It strikes me that Birmingham is very good at making these kinds of architectural statements, but less good at the stuff in between them. It prides itself on thinking big even when doing so has been so often to its detriment. The 1960s are renowned for a gross loss of the city's historic fabric, but that loss continues even now, when the city should know better.

I completely support brave contemporary architecture and towers - HCT being the best tower built this century anywhere in the country outside London. But I just think this is the wrong place for a new icon. Nothing wrong with thinking big. But there's a lot to be said for thinking small too.

(You can see photos of the buildings that will be demolished to make way for The Cube on my blog: http://rokosfrangos.blogspot.com)

"I completely support brave contemporary architecture and towers - HCT being the best tower built this century anywhere in the country outside London. "

You can tell Earlybirds not here can't you? Nice website BTW and welcome to the forum

PS have you heard any "Duran Duran Duran"? Rather like them, pretentious gits no doubt...

Bel Ludovic... posts: 2

You've been here beofre though ain't yer matey?!

Personally, I fucking LOVE the Cube. I love how it's big fat body squats and shits in the canal. It's brutal, it's vulgar, and that's why I simply adore it! I think it could be the best thing Birmingham's ever seen.

It's not so much that I don't like it - I just don't like it *there*. Its colossal bulk is completely out of scale with its immediate surroundings. It's too tall - yet not tall enough to be classed a tower.

It strikes me that Birmingham is very good at making these kinds of architectural statements, but less good at the stuff in between them. It prides itself on thinking big even when doing so has been so often to its detriment. The 1960s are renowned for a gross loss of the city's historic fabric, but that loss continues even now, when the city should know better.

I completely support brave contemporary architecture and towers - HCT being the best tower built this century anywhere in the country outside London. But I just think this is the wrong place for a new icon. Nothing wrong with thinking big. But there's a lot to be said for thinking small too.

(You can see photos of the buildings that will be demolished to make way for The Cube on my blog: http://rokosfrangos.blogspot.com)
Interesting points, but I'm not sure I entirely agree with your reading of Birmingham's planning history - grand architectural gestures have been noticeably absent from the city for most of the last hundred years, IMO. Brutally big buildings, yes; huge waves of unnecessary self-hating destruction, oh my god yes, but taking a risk on a genuinely adventurous piece of architecture..? Selfridges is the only other example I can think of.

And has Birmingham been particularly bad at urban patch'n'mend over the last few decades? Brindleyplace, the Bullring (on the New St-St Martins axis at least, we'll draw a polite veil over the Queens Drive-Moor St axis), the Arcadian and the ICC might not be uniformly brilliant as architecture, but they're rather fine pieces of urbanism that have helped weave a much tighter urban grain into their surroundings. Some of the better smaller developments, eg Southside or the Custrad Factory have also been pretty triumphant in reinstating usable city fabric into trashed areas too.

If anything the city's been too timid in its architectural ambition over that least couple of decades IMO - allowing loads of bland, dull and sometimes simply inept buildings to go ahead as long as they "fit in" (ie are faced in bricks or terracotta tiles and aren't any larger then the crappy 50s workshops they're often replacing), while places like Manchester in particular have said "be bold, build huge buildings, do wild things to them, but do it with style and verve" and have on the whole reaped the benefits.

As to whether the building's too big, I'm not convinced that the urban environment of its immediate surroundings is too fragile to take it. The canal bank in that area isn't really surrounded by particularly intact historic urban fabric (there's nothing precious about the back of the mailbox or the incredibly shoddy series of buildings around the Travel Inn). The buildings around the Worcester Bar are the really historic and valuable bits, but they're already dominated by buildings of similar height to the cube but with far less interesting designs.

I wholeheartedly agree that Birmingham has generally been far too enthusiastic in knocking stuff down and seems to be continuing this bad habit with renewed enthusiasm, though, and I'll definitely be sad to see the end of the frontages that are there now, but apart from that I see the cube as a refreshing break from Birmingham's less admirable planning habits, not a regrettable continuation.

(BTW, are you the same Bel Ludovic who wrote a series of articles about various British cities on some travel website a few years ago? If so let me shake your hand - they were a great read)

Looks like the Cube has planning permisson!!! :banana:



B'ham Mailbox gets go-ahead for final phase
Lisa Pilkington 05 December 2005 09:00

http://www.egi.co.uk/webpics/cmspics/30745.JPG



The Birmingham Development Company has won planning consent for "The Cube", the final 450,000-sq ft landmark phase of The Mailbox.



Nice to see a recent development fly through the planning process just hope they start as has been stated.

Excellent news :okay:

Very swift indeed.I'm looking forward to it;first Selfridges,then The Cube,what about another odd building!I'm up for it!!

dont think its going to be too quick off the mark just yet. a glance at the planning website would tell you that its apprioved by birmingham city council but been refered to the ODPM.... we got a while yet!!!

Damn! I don't want it to be ODPM'ed - but as I recall the building technically is a tall one so could this be the reason why it has been referred?

If so then some clerk in the ODPM will check it, realise it isn't 150m tall then rubber stamp it?

It will surely get through a lot quicker than something like an airport or new town....

As for the size - I think it is fine. It is replacing some small, fairly non-descript Victorian buildings (although there are some great neo-Georgian ones there) and it will nestle in amongst countless apartment blocks. It's size fits well with Mailbox, Centenary Plaza and Arena Central and viewed from elsewhere it will fit on the skyline with Alpha, Hyatt, Orion, Mailbox etc. And, most importantly, it will provide a visible link from Broad St toward the Mailbox - connecting the Bath Row area to the city core and being the first step toward connecting Broad St/Convention Quarter to the New St Stn zone.

This is one of my favourite projects in the UK to date. the glass atrium/restuarant is probably the most delilghtful thing Ive seen added to any structure so daring for a long while.

Cant wait for it to start, I expect April 2006 at the LATEST!

Fabulous news... Absolutely Prestigious News.... It is a granduer Development.. It IS bulky though... I am not complaining... It is tall architecutualy stunning and will do Birmingham wonders.. Infact it'll become a wonder of the Midlands maybe even The U.K.. Doubt it though... I hope the buildings process is with as much haste as the planning permission was....
Let's all have a party... Booze is on me...

Thank you bileduct and Stephen.

An interesting post from bileduct. Probably in the interest of balance I should highlight some of the recent Birmingham buildings that are encouragingly good: Southside; The Orb; the new office building on the corner of the cathedral green opposite House of Fraser (I think RBS are the occupiers); the residential element of Broadway Plaza; the sweeping terracotta Halls of Residence of Aston University parallel to lower Corporation Street; Caxtongate phase III (the one with the Tesco Metro on the bottom).

There are others that I can't think of right now.

And I do feel it is a shame to lose the existing buildings, which have so much character, and the likes of which so many have quietly disappeared, unmourned, this century alone. (I took some great pictures of them last night - as well as night shots of the BT Tower, but have no idea how to post them on here - help!)


http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4450/1601/1600/Assemblage.jpg

Ill miss those buildings especially the washers an gaskets one. Id normally like them to insist that parts of them are maintained but that would seem to wreck the whole pedestrianaccessiess at the heart of the whole project.

I think they've kept the right old buildings with the planned John Bright Street tower so there's hope they will stop demolishing so much.

On the whole Id agree with Bileduct's views but I do think the placement is perhaps unnecessarily risky. It may and hopefully will work brilliantly - but the area is presently fantastic for an outdoor drink/eat and this could fuck it up. I think it was the right choice out of the options anyway.

The photo of the interior on the website does look stunning.

It would be interesting to know if Whitby would have praised this months ago. I dont think he was really in he position to reject a regeneration project- the business community would have lynched him.

BTW Its good to see the relatively positive views at Birmingham plus - I ve aways taken it to be rather conservative when it comes to development

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4450/1601/1600/Assemblage.jpg

Thanks for posting those photos Rigadon. Did you like my Selfridges pic?

I would have liked to have seen the other options for the Mailbox entension. I remember Associated Architects and Glen Howells entered the fray, is that right? Would've been interested to see what ideas they came up with.

I would have liked to have seen the other options for the Mailbox entension. I remember Associated Architects and Glen Howells entered the fray, is that right? Would've been interested to see what ideas they came up with.

I took some photos at the exhibition they had in the mailbox a few months back, where they exhibited the other... exhibits... :)

Not the best, but you can get the jist:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0089.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0090.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0092.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0093.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0094.jpg

Thanks for those Blunther.I was keen to get the tower and wasn't too pleased when The Cube was chosen.However,the more I see of it the more I like it.Maybe the tower can find itself a spot in another part of the city;the new station or Eastside?

For your interest Belly, I think the top one is Associated Architects, and the twoer is Glenn Howells.

Why did somebody put forward a partially-dismantled photo-copier?
I suspect that team spent the whole their design budget on drink and on the morning of the exhibition, in the cloud of an extreme hangover, rushed out the office grabbing the first thing that came to hand.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Blunther/Img0093.jpg

Well, at least their money wasn't wasted.

Can't work out the Kinetics one, the big tower looks rather bland to me, tall, but looks like the sort of thing they like in other places.. cough-Manchester-cough

Like the Cube best, from the little I've seen of it.

I think the cube was the best solution not only for the location but also for its purpose, its going to house ridiculously expensive shops and hotels and apartments for people who want something in your face, big and different, something too tame just wouldn't get the people the mailbox want to attract interested.

To be honest I think we all know Glen Howells is gonna build a tower somewhere in Birmingham, God knows how long his been trying. But the truth is with Brums reputation across the UK as a concrete jungle, we need radical designs to get across to them that Birmingham isnt a boring run down average city in the heart of England. I think people ignore that Brum is helping to take British architecture (MAKE, Kinetic AIU) into the limelight once again. I personally think in key areas like this, like Selfridges, like Arena Central etc Birmingham can really entice major developers to build landmarks for our ever growing and improving city.

P.S

Im sure Glen Howells, has something else up his sleeve anyway ;)

I actually would have preferred the second design - the three partially coiled towers - over the cube. It's not as imposing as the cube but it's shape is still very interesting to look at. And, most importantly, it includes a water-side square.
Despite all our public squares and canal-side cafes & restaurants, the two have yet to come together into a public space where you can relax beside the water.