APPROVED TODAY

Approve Temporary
01-AUG-2005
C/04154/04/FUL
John Bright Street, Lower Severn Street, Suffolk Street Queensway, City – site bounded by.

Erection of new buildings and part retention of 99 John Bright Street and the façade to 15 Lower Severn Street and conversion of 93-97 John Bright Street to provide residential units and uses within classes A2 (financial & professional services) A1 (retail) A3 (Food and drink) and B1 (business) including new parking area.

Crosby Special Projects Ltd
Sir Timothy Robert Sherlock
Gooch Baronet & Bemache
Estates Company

Brooke-smith Associates
Somerville House
20-22 Harborne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3AA



http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/551OrionBuildingPhase2_pic1.jpg

:cucumber: :banana: :grouphug: :banana: :cucumber: :carrot: :pepper: :banana2: :horse: :nocrook: :cucumber: :grouphug: :banana: :lock: :cheer: :bowtie: :pepper: :master: :horse: :pepper: :cucumber: :banana: :grouphug: :banana: :cucumber: :carrot: :pepper: :banana2: :horse: :nocrook: :cucumber: :grouphug: :banana: :lock: :cheer: :bowtie: :pepper: :master: :horse: :pepper:

Orion's finishing, Orion 2's gonna be rising - now someone propose a tower for that crappy car park next to HCT

is that what it will look like or is that a general picture?

is that what it will look like or is that a general picture?

Thats what it will look like, although im sure a few small changes will be made.

well we know for a fact that it has changed as more apartments and more floors have been added since that render was released........ i imagine a smaller version of orion!

looks nice, although it would be intresting to see it in the daylight

Do you think they have kept that lighting scheme - or was that just in the renders to make the outlines more visable?

i have absolutely no idea........ is a nice lighting scheme though!

Superb - start date?

Superb - start date?

I presume they will start as soon as Orion is finished. Using the same crane etc.

this should be taller than orion 1

Good if not unexpected news - hopefully there will be uninterrupted construction on both sides of suffolk street queensway until AC tops out. Imagine that!

nice, it will be phased and i imagine will begin as soon as Orion 1 is finished....much like southside 2 is awaiting the completion of the first phase.....I wander if the new owners will review these planned developments or will just let the company carry on, after all its been quite succesful

yeah funky lighting x


the queens gate development opposite looks interesting too, the only bad sopt on this street is from the alex to HCT, need something, even a refurbishment of the exisiting carpark and shops would be nice x

this should be taller than orion 1
I disagree. Its not a bad project, but (from what I can tell from the rendering) it looks a lot like a taller version of the average 5/6-storey red brick sweatboxes that are going up all round the country.

Excellent news indeed.
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/551OrionBuildingPhase2_pic1.jpg

Just so I can orientate myself....will the building, as it appears in the render, be where those advertisement hoardings are to the right of Orion?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Construction%202/Orion7th62005.jpg

Yep spot on smiley. You can see the side of westside in the render plus the side road

Blimey it's gonna be an impressive sight looking down here soon

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Construction%202/OrionAug7th2005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Construction%202/OrionHCTAug7th2005.jpg

I don't want to worry anybody, but isn't the tallest part of it, really part of Orion 1?

I'm pretty sure its a seperate building in its own right msp, 19 storeys plus whatever they've tacked on top since. They're keeping some of the lowrise stuff on JB street though, at least the facades.

I don't want to worry anybody, but isn't the tallest part of it, really part of Orion 1?
]

nope, this is a totally different development!

this should be taller than orion 1

Can't be... Wasn't Orion 1 suppose to be 90m?

i know it aint i was only saying that

Approve Temporary
01-AUG-2005
C/04154/04/FUL
John Bright Street, Lower Severn Street, Suffolk Street Queensway, City – site bounded by.

Erection of new buildings and part retention of 99 John Bright Street and the façade to 15 Lower Severn Street and conversion of 93-97 John Bright Street to provide residential units and uses within classes A2 (financial & professional services) A1 (retail) A3 (Food and drink) and B1 (business) including new parking area.

Crosby Special Projects Ltd
Sir Timothy Robert Sherlock
Gooch Baronet & Bemache
Estates Company

Brooke-smith Associates
Somerville House
20-22 Harborne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3AA

Regarding the above application, it says at the top that its approved but temporary, does that mean that the scheme is likely to be changed like Orion with additonal res units????? The height of the tower was based on its positioning between Westside and Orion, with Orion being made taller i guess this is in line for a height increase too??

well with reg the planning system in brum.... (dnt know if its the same nationally) but .....the only only outcomes possible are approved temp, approved with condition, or regected.........

the approved temp mean within 5 years, it expires!

Might as well stick these on here for now...a few pics of a dusty looking John Bright Street. What are the plans for the rest of JBS coz there are some fantastic buildings down there and it's all looking a bit run down at the moment?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%204/JohnbrightStaug27th2005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%204/JohnBrightStreetAug272005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%204/JohnBrightStreetAug27th05.jpg

Been for a lap dance have we? :clown:

How the hell does a tree grow out the side of a city centre building anyway?

:cucumber: :drunk: :nocrook: :lock: :cheer: :carrot: :carrot: :cheers2: :pepper: :cheers1: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Oh yes I was right. It looks exactly like Orion but a minuture as in widht. But hopefuly it maybe be taller, then Orion goes we're gonna go taller so does Orion two, then Orion one goes taller then does Orion two until it is as high as HCT.

Nah

that wont heppen it will be beauitul down there now and very grand entrance to Birmingham, it will most definately will be called Skyscraper Alley :cheers:

Clearence work is well underway, hopefully we'll see some new rendroids and pics of how the tower will look and how tall is will be

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/Derekksharmen/P024.jpg

How tall is this tower?

They've knocked down more than on the original plans. Just the corner unit on JB street hasstayed with none of the facade from the others on lower severn street.

This is the best i can find but the source is a flash site so i cannot link directly to the Orion page.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Orion-drawing.jpg

Go to the Peter Taylor Associates website:

http://www.ptal.co.uk/

Then via the main menu navigate to " Dreams to Reality " and then to " Urban Regeneration - John Bright Street "

There are a few 3D renders than mean very little to me ... lol, but hopefully now that they are about to start work the website will be updated sometime soon.

CH

They say it's 18 stories tall on that site

I've just done 2 visuals for it!

double post sorry

great news ! now its real high rise density in this neighbourhood !

good to see work well underway. this is the way it should be...... constantly progressing...no one asking "where did that proposal go?"

saw something in the post today about orion 'phase 4' getting underway with a big picture of john rocha looking scary. whats that? is it orion 2?

i have no idea but im sure that there was 3 phases in the first building...with the tower being phase 3......well im sure that wat it used to say on the hoardings

Images of Orion 2 in today's Who's Who in Construction in The Post.

Looks very nice - nothing amazing, but a return to a bit more traditional render, glazing etc - quite classy :)

Bit worried about how clean the render will stay though...

what page cuz i cant find it!

Page 38 in the 'Whos Who in Construction' supplement.

p38 - left hand page - has an image of Orion too :)

I see there(at least in the e-paper p30 p31) are two articles about grade A office space coming onto stream.There is a also a photo of Baskerville House and Colmore Plaza.

the epaper doesnt have the suppliment...u guys are going to have to scan lol

saw the renders. better than the old ones

How tall is it???? seems to have changed height several times. 15,19,22 storeys??

WHERE THE HELL IS THIS RENDER???

the 'whos who' bit of todays post. (cant get it online). look for a big picture of orion, the new renders under that.

i live in newcastle, getting the birmingham post is a little tricky!

ah, i see your point! how did you come to be the birmingham ssn guy then?

because i study at newcastle uni.... lived in brum all my life before then

http://i2.tinypic.com/snnsde.jpg

I LOVE IT...ok, its taken a height decrease to 16 floors....to get in more flats i believe.... but this round will reallt be amazing to drive along in the future.....just wish they woudl hurry up and do the other side!

its taken a height decrease to 16 floors....to get in more flats


How's that work?! :jippo:

why does everyone assume that to add more space on a highrise building, u have to go up.....with the footprint of the tower part, you can prob only fit 2 or 3 more flats for every floors.....its a lot easier to fill out an on a staggered building like this, its easier to spread down and along the entire foot print.....alot easier gettig it through planning that building up.


does that answer ur question?

s'not bad, the way it cascades down from the main tower, not the greatest but it's only a bomb site at the moment isn't it?

Can't quite work out the Curvey inset pic though, where's that supposed to be?

why does everyone assume that to add more space on a highrise building, u have to go up.....with the footprint of the tower part, you can prob only fit 2 or 3 more flats for every floors.....its a lot easier to fill out an on a staggered building like this, its easier to spread down and along the entire foot print.....alot easier gettig it through planning that building up.


does that answer ur question?

Not really, 'cos you can keep it as high, and fill it out, and fit even more flats in :)

Not that I'm moaning... was hardly expecting a hypertall here... looks pleasant enough.

Looks classy - thanks for the good work Foxy :cheers:

We get a tantalising glimpse of Orion here - looking good :) The interface between the 2 buildings leads me to believe they may raise O2 as part of the new building almost looks into the sheer wall of Orion.

Stephen - the insetis Scholar's Gate opposite - next to the Mailbox

http://i2.tinypic.com/snnsde.jpg
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/551OrionBuildingPhase2_pic1.jpg

The side street looks good. There's not as much glass but I think I slightly prefer the original - only just though. The new one just seems a little over designed or maybe I'm just a boring bastard :)

On the TV (sky I think) at the gym last night I saw an advert for crosby homes which was of orion and filmed from the New street car park as the sun was setting. Anyone else see it?

i prefer wat we're getting

It's gonna look like one building, and it'd be a fecking enormous building.

How many apartments in all phases? Anyone know?

HI guys. I did this visual, so here's a better copy.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/idenby/johnbright.jpg

wow - thats handy!

The side street looks good. There's not as much glass but I think I slightly prefer the original - only just though. The new one just seems a little over designed or maybe I'm just a boring bastard :)

On the TV (sky I think) at the gym last night I saw an advert for crosby homes which was of orion and filmed from the New street car park as the sun was setting. Anyone else see it?

I've seen the ad a couple of times - the city view with the sped-up traffic looks good :)

I prefer the new O2 design to the older on e- that looks boring to me - too much brickwork...

Nice one Dibs :okay:

HI guys. I did this visual, so here's a better copy.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/idenby/johnbright.jpg

That's fab dibbers - much appreciated :cheers1:

Looks even better like that! And blends with Orion well :)

Thanks Fox and thanks Dibbers.That looks better than I expected.

i find it funny, we all seem to be quite supprised by this development

Much as I like the Orion building, and equally HCT, won't this strip of road look a little dis-jointed when we get to the Alex and 'that' car park ? Surely they're ripe for re-development ? Has anyone heard even a whisper of anything happending ?

ive not heard anything but id agree with u.....

Not so much the alex. a reclad maybe. But the car park must GO!

[QUOTE=dibbers]HI guys. I did this visual, so here's a better copy.


Arh.. I now understand your "Can't polish ...etc."!

Cala own that site with the NCP car park, your right its about time they did something with it, really spoils the area, at least replace all the fallen concrete on the canopy at street level !!!

Quick mock up. Looking good :)

http://i2.tinypic.com/sxd79i.jpg

@Dibbers, have you got one of these?

fucking hell, talk about a smart git

very impressive, i cant believe u managed to do that so well

this road is going to be impressive

look at this pic, looking that orion 2 will be the same height as the middle block of orion 1 it would seem orion two will be about the same height as westside!?!?!?

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Orion-drawing.jpg

I think the elevation may have been superceeded.

To me the tallest Orion 2 block looks to have dropped to around the same height as the middle Orion 1 step and Elizabeth House.

The JBS end of the new building relates well to Westside too.
http://tinypic.com/9up4bl.jpg

brilliant mock up. well done!

Quick mock up. Looking good :)

http://i2.tinypic.com/sxd79i.jpg

@Dibbers, have you got one of these?

Nice one! ;-)

I have a visual from the bottom of the hill taken looking at the Orleans listed building with Orion 2 in the background. But until I know it's gone public, I will have to keep it under wraps for now.

Great mock up Foxtrot.I'll look forward to the visual dibs.

what was the name of the club (not eddys) where orion2 will be? i went there a few times and i cant remember what it was called

what was the name of the club (not eddys) where orion2 will be? i went there a few times and i cant remember what it was called

Boogies? Many a drunken saturday night spent there up till the mid 80s

Mock up looks great, well done.

Boogies? Many a drunken saturday night spent there up till the mid 80s

nah, it was a rock venue.

The Foundry?

The Foundry?

God bless it.

the first pub I ever got served in. Made my life that did!

It was next door to Mr Bill's Bierkeller, and on the side of what is now West2 by the Alex. It was knocked down years before construction started though :(

The foundry!! cheers! been doing my nut in for ages

I'm starting to think that this building looks really sub standard in comparison to other towers going up around the country, the materials look inexpensive and the design does not seem to flow, disjointed, I really dislike the red brick and cream cladding that is springing up and the grey panels should not be allowed on any building in Brum (on other side), they just look so damn unfinished, maybe I am being a little harsh here but so far... I see flashes of a great scheme but mixed in with really bog standard materials and unstylish design, the renders looked impressive but the finished thing???

in fact I would go as far to say that parts of this scheme remind me of a portacabin. This is an important scheme being in such an important location next to HCT, opposite Mailbox and on two main roads..

are u looking at the same thing as i am..... this is 10 times better than what we hd before. this has detail and a great mix......what u call a mis-match i seemt o prefer interesting...its a nice building to look at and appear to fit in with the rest of the scheme

are u looking at the same thing as i am..... this is 10 times better than what we hd before. this has detail and a great mix......what u call a mis-match i seemt o prefer interesting...its a nice building to look at and appear to fit in with the rest of the scheme

come to think of it. what did we have before? completely forgotten. i remember what was there before HCT - the best italian in town, complete with mammas cooking (homemade tiramisu) and an opera singing water - antonios it was called (ginos to me).

no i meant the early version of this tower...but what was here before was an old warehouse covered up by a billboard

in fact I would go as far to say that parts of this scheme remind me of a portacabin. This is an important scheme being in such an important location next to HCT, opposite Mailbox and on two main roads..

I agree. From what I've seen so far, I'm very disappointed. Depending on what emerges from under those wraps, this could quite easily move on to "horrified".

I'd defy anyone to say the brick section which is exposed at the moment looks anything other than ugly, drab and old. The section to the left looks dull at best.

And the shot from the rear which someone posted the other day looks like one of the worst pieces of architectural design I've seen in years.

are u looking at the same thing as i am..... this is 10 times better than what we hd before. this has detail and a great mix......what u call a mis-match i seemt o prefer interesting...its a nice building to look at and appear to fit in with the rest of the scheme

he means orion 1.

why in the oprion 1 thread???

i still dont see a problem

I saw a wee bit behind the plastic shite today and I think most will be pleasently surprised. I like it.

I think the flat front of both Orion 1 and 2 doesnt do either building much favour in terms of design. Imagine if it had been one development.. with such a long 'face', the architects would have gone for more contours on the front. There is variety in height and depth.. but the face ( which ought to have got more attention ) looks like a wall

are u looking at the same thing as i am..... this is 10 times better than what we hd before. this has detail and a great mix......what u call a mis-match i seemt o prefer interesting...its a nice building to look at and appear to fit in with the rest of the scheme

Personally I would not rate anything architecturaly merely on a comparison to what previously existed, If you are asking if I liked what was there before then no, it looked tatty but actually had a couple of good shops there with a function. I just am amazed that these grey panels (orion 1) are allowed to be thrown up willy nilly, the back of the mailbox is an example and Mathew Boulton College, they are bloody awful and IMO look unfinished, the question you have to ask is could you imagine this project going up in Manchester central or London with the the same design... I can't I'm sorry, I will definately reserve judgement on the Orion 1 tower itself until the wrapps come off but so far I would give the building an unbiased 5/10. I don't think the miss-match brick and "quick fix designed on a friday afternoon cladding" is what we need in Brum, I would give this building thirty years and it will be regarded an eyesore... there are loads of great projects going on in the city but this one so far is not one, we are all entitled to our onion's.

I do like the curved red brick on the corner of JB street but why not keep that theme throughout the lower level building and if you are going to have cladding to save cost have it all in one block section, not... a bit of grey pannels, then some red bricks, then some cream cladding, then a few cheap poles stranded around the top of the building. Plenty to be positive about though.. :cheers:

i think we had a mix up, i thought u were talking about orion 2

Personally I would not rate anything architecturaly merely on a comparison to what previously existed, If you are asking if I liked what was there before then no, it looked tatty but actually had a couple of good shops there with a function. I just am amazed that these grey panels (orion 1) are allowed to be thrown up willy nilly, the back of the mailbox is an example and Mathew Boulton College, they are bloody awful and IMO look unfinished, the question you have to ask is could you imagine this project going up in Manchester central or London with the the same design... I can't I'm sorry, I will definately reserve judgement on the Orion 1 tower itself until the wrapps come off but so far I would give the building an unbiased 5/10. I don't think the miss-match brick and "quick fix designed on a friday afternoon cladding" is what we need in Brum, I would give this building thirty years and it will be regarded an eyesore... there are loads of great projects going on in the city but this one so far is not one, we are all entitled to our onion's.

I do like the curved red brick on the corner of JB street but why not keep that theme throughout the lower level building and if you are going to have cladding to save cost have it all in one block section, not... a bit of grey pannels, then some red bricks, then some cream cladding, then a few cheap poles stranded around the top of the building. Plenty to be positive about though.. :cheers:


the thing that gets me in what you claim is that i do accept that you might not find the brick stuff going up in manchester..... but why do u see that as a bad thing. in regeneration in this country, there is way too much "dould be anywhere" schemes.... but in birmingham, the red brick thing is great..

the white panelling stuff, ialso do not understand. most of the views you talk about are not in public view...and if anything probabyl allow the residents to have their influence on the building....the main view you are talking about with orion (the courtyard area) is where the balconies are....if you were to have grand architecture and then to ruin it with potted plants, umrellas, seats of all different sizes/shape, wat a waist and mess!!!!!

woodhousen, I agree that the red brick theme in the city centre is sort of unique.. but IMO it only has a positive effect when viewed from a distance, the original red brick theme in Birmingham was stylised, ornate, intricately carved terracotta, monuments like the old law courts, utterly incredible buildings at ground level and a real talking point even for the most average schmo on the street... not only that, it looks fantastic on the skyline. Compare those kind of buildings to SOME of the blandness that goes up today in Brum, don't get me wrong.. I love certain new things like selfridges (only), HCT and Mailbox refurb, even Kennedy tower and I realise that it costs a lot more to pay a skilled stone mason to add these finer details in buildings but even if you look at the Chrysler building in New York, it has details such as gargoyles at the top... it doesn't take much to create something a bit different, but a concrete and steel box with some ready made cladding and the rest in plain brick... no other features??? WTF I'd rather look at the concrete mess that was there before at least it had character, as I said, if Brum council really care about the city environment then they will be careful to encourage iconic buildings across the board, not just a select few in prime locations, people DO actually take notice of their environment, it has a lasting effect what we see and feel, maybe I'm hard to please?.

I can see the anger of the original architect of the Post n Mail tower, look at the cow shed that is replacing it, sort it out while we have the chance to right a few wrongs of the past but for god's sake don't make the exact same mistakes as the 60's and 70's, I love Brindley Place and I hope that Arena Central will compliment it, we really do need to raise the bar and do it NOW!

Another one of Dibbers' renders has gone up on the Phase 4 hoardings

http://i3.tinypic.com/w7dhfn.jpg

http://i3.tinypic.com/w7dks1.jpg

http://i3.tinypic.com/w7dl4k.jpg

remind me what was there before, I think it was Victorian red brick, a bit like the one on the corner, but not so fancy.

New stuff could (?) be called bland.

http://i3.tinypic.com/w7dl4k.jpg

And I've decided, I like that building on the other side of the road, stick a big glass atrium on the top and big Glass building behind it, and it'll be well pucker.

(Off topic, but I thought I'd mention it somewhere, bad day for Birmingham/WM football teams wasn't it?)

And I've decided, I like that building on the other side of the road, stick a big glass atrium on the top and big Glass building behind it, and it'll be well pucker.

(Off topic, but I thought I'd mention it somewhere, bad day for Birmingham/WM football teams wasn't it?)

They are arent they? Thought they were adding two floors to it?

And yes but who cares, The Wanderers won and we shall meet the baggie bums next season - Cannot wait ;)

They are arent they? Thought they were adding two floors to it?

I know! Good init?

that will be nice when its got two floors added thats a bit of a birmingham thing to do add two floors! yes it was a bad day but its ok we will beat the wolves next season

that will be nice when its got two floors added thats a bit of a birmingham thing to do add two floors! yes it was a bad day but its ok we will beat the wolves next season

I don't think so....Wolves are going up next year!

haha not after this seasons performance matey

We had a bad spell, something the Wolves board have to put right this season, under Hoddle or not. We need youth, throw the likes of Kennedy and Cort to the Villa of this world and bring through the likes of Davies, Jones and co to move this club forward.

P.S Nothingman you an expat?

OI OI PEOPLE......ORION PHASE 4....NOT FOOTBALL...... anyone would think there wasnt a sperate thread of that lol

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/idenby/johnbright.jpg


I like the look of the section of the development, looks better than i thought it would

I hope the revised design includes some cool lighting scheme. That was a nice feature of the initial design (though I much prefer the new one overall). Also this development covers up that wall of concrete which currently exists to the left of the above render.

Construction commences in 3 to 4 weeks :okay:

Excellent news!

woah!!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0837.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/HPIM0838.jpg

I like the past photo. Abstract :D