Alpha Tower
Birmingham, UK

HEIGHT: 100m
FLOORS: 28 floors
COMPLETION: 1970
ARCHITECT: Richard Siefert


- Alpha Tower was constructed as part of the ATV Studios being constructed in Birmingham City Centre in 1965.

- Its architect was Richard Siefert, who designed the NatWest Tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=253090) and several other tall buildings in London.

- After the closure of the TV Studios in the 1990s, Birmingham City Council bought the tower and the building is now the main offices for the City Council.

- It was Birmingham's tallest building for 35 years until the 130m Holloway Circus Tower was completed in 2006.



http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2003/01/178344.jpg


http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/images/skyline/alpha.jpg


http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/154AlphaTower_pic2.jpg

i like the way its curved.. reminds me of the tallest building in Luxembourg, Centre European, i think.. anways, 6

better than most of the others in Birming...5.5/10

I like it 6.5

6.5/10

Unique shape yet looks simple and calming at the same time.

I don't like it too much! 6/10

Nice shape but i won't call it unique.6.0/10

Kind of plain... but I guess it's unique in a way...
6.0

Nothing special! 6/10

4/10 Yuck! Another Birmingham building!

5/10

I like the angled structure, but its a bit grimey looking. Not beautiful...

5

All that rubbish on the top + boring colour = :puke:

5.5/10

not my type

6/10

7.5/10
quite nice. wish it was taller

sufficient 5,5/10 :)

7/10
The shape is good, and it's reasonably tall for Birmingham. Apart from that, though, it's nothing special - just a fairly ordinary office building. I mean, what else can you say about it?

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/wheel/alpha1.jpg

I like this kind of curve building .. but nothing much special other than this .. 7.5/10

6/10. Boring but good for Birmingham.

Recognisable, but in 5 years time Brummies will have a dozen more towers to keep them happy.

Hyatt Hotel is the best Tower in Brum. then HCT and then Hopefully, ACT

A dozen new towers in 5 years??? Thats a little optimistic. HCT, Masshouse, John Blight Street and Orion definately but im not sure about the others. The final designs for AC havnt even been publicised yet!!!

Not so bad. I like the curved angled shape.

7.5

Hey Accura I thought you liked Alpha?
It's my favourite modern bldg in Brum even though it's 30 years old - therefore I've given the 10!!
It reminds me of: Pirelli - Milan, Centre Point, London - slightly, and bizarrely the former Pan Am in NYC!! But 1000's of feet shorter!

Pics by mk61

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=148337




http://tinypic.com/fuujs




http://tinypic.com/fuul1

6/10

6/10

http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/birmingham/alphatower1.jpg

http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/birmingham/alphatower6.jpg





http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/birmingham/alphatower7.jpg

Grim, but with a twist. Still 5.5

Class 8.5

thee windows are sort of retro 70s with a fun shape and bend with the buidling. The effect of walking past it watching the reflections change off the rapdily altering angles of its front side is fansttic.

The rubish on the top does detract and it ought to be taller but I still love it.

5/10 - Not special..

6.5/10

I actually quite like it with the curve, and the fact it's pretty good for B'ham. It looks good at night.
7/10

6.5/10

6.5/10 Birmingham has something more interesting..

6/10

Grim, but with a twist.

LOL yeah.

If it were a plain box with the same cladding then it would merit just a 5 or 6, but I like the quirky floorplate shape and actually think it looks quite sharp for a 1960's building; 7.5

6/10

6/10.

5/10

nice building 7.5

6/10

i like it, and i imagine the brummies are attached to it like mancunians are to the CIS. 8/10

Wonderful curves, possible a bit too subtle for it's own good, but easily the best of the "old" modern bulidings in Brum.

sorry but nothing special, 6.5/10

Interesting shape, but very dull facade. 6,5/10

7/10

Nice curve, but that's all. 5/10

five

nice shape...yuck look! 5/10

cud have been better 5.5

5/10 not so good!

6/10

not bad. 7/10

I've updated the pics and info on the 1st page.

5/10

7/10

6.5/10

6/10

7/10

Can't really explain it but I do love it! The design looks old but in the sameway it's a head....

a bit ugly 6/10

7.5/10

7.0

6/10

7/10

5/10

8.5/10 bc of the shape :okay:.

8/10

7.5/10

6/10

7/10:)

Of note she was set to have a taller sister of the same design called Beta Tower. However, economic crash of the 70's prevented it from being built.

6.5/10

6/10

6/10

Not Seifert's best work

6/10

5.5

6.5/10

Not so bad. Decent cladding and an interesting shape. 7/10

8/10

7/10

7. Regards.

7/10

Boring... 5,5/10

6.5

5,5/10

8/10

7/10

8/10

7/10

7/10

7/10

10/10 :)

Looks good from a short and bad from a long distance, overall it aged quite well

5/10

6/10

6/10