Centenary Square in Birmingham

Result

Centenary Square design competition winner revealed
The winner of a competition to transform one of Birmingham’s largest public spaces has been named as Edinburgh-based Graeme Massie Architects.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, launched by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Landscape Institute on behalf of Birmingham City Council, attracted nearly 200 entries from architects and designers around the world, all vying to make their mark on the city by redesigning Centenary Square.
Graeme Massie Architects’ winning design was selected from a shortlist of just five by a panel of judges, which included Birmingham City Council Deputy Leader Cllr Ian Ward.
Judges were particularly impressed with the winning scheme, known as the Hall of Columns, for a wide range of reasons, including:
- The lighting columns, which will provide a unique and iconic image for Birmingham;
- The fact the scheme is multi-dimensional, incorporating trees, seating and water with a ceiling of lights which can be appreciated not just from the square but from the terrace of the library and the higher floors of surrounding buildings too;
- The ‘timeless simplicity’ of the design which also offers the flexibility for the location to be used for a wide range of events in the long-term;
- The design fits in well with the existing and planned developments in the area;
- The design complements the history of the square as well as providing an iconic design for the future.
Director Graeme Massie was named Architect of the Year 2010 at the Scottish Design Awards and won the Royal Scottish Academy Gold Medal for Architecture in both 2005 and 2007. He is also a part-time tutor at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow. Prior to establishing his own practice, Graeme was an associate with LDN Architects in Edinburgh, where he was responsible for a number of prestigious projects, including the 2002 RIBA Award-winning Birmingham Hippodrome, the redevelopment of Parliament House and the Usher Hall in Edinburgh and the courtyard development at St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh.

Overview

International design competition for regeneration of Centenary Square.

Description
Birmingham City Council invites UK and international architects, landscape architects, urban designers and students of these disciplines, to enter the Centenary Square Design Competition. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, to be part of shaping Birmingham's future.

The design competition for this key public space will be in two stages. In the first stage we are asking for conceptual designs that will be judged anonymously. The 5 best of these will then progress to stage two; the shortlisted teams will be granted an honorarium and asked to develop their designs further. Judging for the stage two submissions will include a public consultation.

Up to £5 million construction costs for the project have been identified plus additional funding for fees, which is subject to final City Council approval when the winning design has been confirmed. It is the intention that the design team of the winning application will be appointed and retained for all RIBA stages of the project. Project Management and Quantity Surveying services will be provided by Acivico Ltd. The contractor will be allocated through the Constructing West Midlands (CWM) Framework.

Centenary Square sits at the heart of an area of significant change within the west of the city centre. The recently completed Library of Birmingham, the refurbished and remodelled Repertory Theatre and the future extension of the Metro to the square; coupled with a number of significant developments in the immediate area gives us the perfect opportunity to reinvent this historic square.

The multi-award winning Eastside City Park and the Library of Birmingham demonstrate Birmingham's proven track record of delivering outstanding, world class projects and public spaces. Centenary Square is an opportunity to build on these successes and go further to cement the City's international status.

Jury
Jim Wilson, Project Delivery Manager, Planning and Regeneration, Birmingham City Council
Sasha Bhavan, Knox Bhavan Architects, RIBA Adviser
Councillor Ian Ward, Deputy Leader, Birmingham City Council
Vicky J Smith, Acivico, Architect
Andy Wayro, Planning and Regeneration, Birmingham City Council, Senior Landscape Officer / Urban Designer
Stakeholder representative x 2

Prize
It is intended that up to five teams will be selected to proceed to the second stage. The five shortlisted teams will each receive honoraria of £5,000 + VAT. The winner's honorarium represents an advance on their professional fee post competition. Birmingham City Council undertakes to pay the honoraria within 6 weeks of the conclusion of the competition. Invoices for payment should be submitted to RIBA Competitions.

Entry Fee
Professionals: £50+VAT
Students: £15+VAT

Timetable
Announcement of Result: April 2015

Organizer
Planning and Regeneration, Birmingham City Council

Official Website