Brindleyplace, Birmingham

Work, live, enjoy… Strength in diversity

‘Mixed-use’ zones are nothing new: as far back as Roman times, certain areas in cities naturally evolved to combine working, living and leisure space.

But for developers in modern times it was long seen as a risky concept. Better to keep dangerous factories separate. Better to build a parade of shops all together on the high street or, more recently, out-of-town where there is plenty of parking space…

So when work started on a 17 acre long-derelict canalside site in central Birmingham, back in 1993, eyebrows were raised. Two decades on, Brindleyplace is one of the most vibrant, dynamic areas in the city. 8,500 people work there and it attracts around four million visitors a year.

In total, BAM built seven of the eleven main buildings in the development: working in a close partnership with the owner and developer Argent PLC.

Building in flexibility

Perhaps the biggest challenge was the building that’s now home to the Royal Bank of Scotland: conceived to bring together one existing building and two unbuilt ones.

The development team had to adapt designs to provide level floors across the three spaces, linking three independent structures to provide access and fire escapes for the combined whole.

At the same time, there’s built in flexibility to turn it back into three separate blocks in the future, if needed.

Local character

Each building BAM delivered has its own personality.

Number 3 could be in a Venetian piazza, with its Italianate columns. The most recent – and largest – number 11 is unashamedly modernist with its strongly curved, fully glazed almost black façade. Nine Brindleyplace echoes the Victorian Church next door…

Over more than a decade, BAM has worked with Argent created a successful and highly popular hub for the city: where people really can live, work, shop, eat and relax all in one place.

Don't just take our word for it...

Best of the Best"

In 2010, Eleven Brindleyplace scooped the ‘Best of the Best’ in the British Council for Offices (BCO) Commercial Workplace awards: one of numerous accolades picked up by buildings in the development over two decades

See all the awards Brindleyplace has picked up

Absolutely fantastic for our business”

Ian Stringer, Commercial Director at GVA, one of the tenants at Three Brindleyplace, says it’s been “Absolutely fantastic for our business”.

Watch the video

Brindleyplace pioneered the concept of mixed-use developments"

The verdict from the Homes & Communities Agency? “Brindleyplace pioneered the concept of mixed-use developments in city centres, showing that they can really work if attention is given to the interaction of people and places.”

See the case study for more detail

Work, live, enjoy… Strength in diversity