Square
Birmingham City Council
Jewellery Quarter
Completed 2015
Working in close collaboration with Capita Lovejoy and artist David Patten we were successful in winning an international design competition for the design of Golden Square, a new 4000m2 public space in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
Completed in Spring 2015 the square provides an attractive, inclusive centrepiece and space for public events, temporary exhibitions, relaxation and interaction; it is a valuable amenity, encouraging further regeneration and adds to the distinctive identity and character of the area.
The Compound
Javelin
Block
Jewellery Quarter
Completed 2014
The former textile factory’s steel frame was retained, brickwork left exposed, and industrial fxtures and fttings were left in place. The majority of the building was left open volume with parts of the space screened of with reclaimed steelframed windows and doors.
With a total of 8500sqft of foor space, the building is broken down into several
elements: a bar and 25-seater cinema are located in the basement; the ground foor is home to a large kitchen area and several lounge and dining areas, as well as vehicle parking; the frst foor is made up of balconies and mezzanines with living spaces and private areas to be used for sleeping or studying; on the second foor, there’s an ofce and studio flled with natural light; and at the very top
of the building (‘The Treehouse’) there is a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Additional bedrooms and bathrooms exist throughout the building.
The space is regularly hired out for photoshoots, tv/flming and corporate events, and has hosted the likes of Channel 4, BBC, Ed Sheeran, MTV and Steven Spielberg.
Fargo
Complex Development Projects
Coventry
Phase 1 completed 2014
Phase 2 completed 2015
This creative village on Far Gosford Street Industrial Estate in Coventry includes a vibrant mix of uses: marketplace, independent retail, designer-maker and artists studios, galleries, live music venues and bars.
The development was a major driver for economic change in this regeneration area and provides a low-cost base for small creative enterprises and artists.
“Fargo Village is very good ordinary architecture, a demonstration of what can be achieved with very modest means, by employing intelligence and creativity. It represents what the late architect Robert Maguire once defned as the criterion for his work – “a high standard of ordinariness”.”
Joe Holyoak, Architect & Urban Designer, Birmingham Post, 23 October 2014
Words by Rob Colbourne
Artist and Landscape Architect
Fargo’s incremental development meant working periodically to embed creativity into the scheme. Rather than create more ‘works of art’, practical design elements such as wayfnding, shelter, signage, and security could be infused with a palette of ideas inspired by those past weaving and bicycle manufacturing industries; the architecture of hand and jacquard looms; and those timber framed buildings indigenous to the street.
At the Far Gosford Street entrance we proposed a timber-framed structure. Its form was derived from a succession of models that investigated jaquard cards and the lattice of ribbon-threads converging on a loom. Twisting spokes echoed both the diagonal cladding of the entrance building and the woven gate designed for the rear of the site. A rectangular frame created a pergola and external cafe space, whilst the
cantilevered timber exploded upwards: reaching out into the street. Acting as a support for banners and event information, the illuminated structure would also be a form of signage in itself.
Broad Street Meeting Hall
BSMH Ltd
Coventry
Completed 2021
Broad Street Meeting Hall Ltd (BSMH) is an independent charity supporting the needs of the local community in Foleshill, Coventry. For over 20 years, BSMH has provided space and facilities for local people to meet and seek advice.
Following an extensive consultation with the local community, designs were
developed for a new building providing 2 meeting halls, a kitchen area, meeting room and ofce, and ancillary spaces.
Colourful cladding tubes reference the buildings along Broad Street in sequential order, while also hinting at the variety of cultures which use the building.
Hawkstone Hall
HH Hospitality Ltd
Marchamley, Shropshire
Completed 2019
Hawkstone Hall is a Grade I Listed building dating back to circa 1700.
In 2017 Change of Use was granted for a hotel and wedding venue, enabling the building to return to former glory as a grand country house.
Floodgate Factories
Oval Real Estate
Digbeth 2019 onwards
Oval acquired a number of vacant and dilapidated properties in Digbeth which they were eager to bring back into use.
Orginally known as the Floodgate Street Reactivations, we worked with Rob Colbourne on fve buildings which would become venues, cafes, ofces and studios in the short - medium term, until the wider Digbeth masterplan is realised.
courtesy of Digbeth.com
Bloc Hotel
Bloc Hotels
Jewellery Quarter
Completed 2011
The design and appearance of this 73 bedroom afordable luxury hotel refects the architectural language of the Jewellery Quarter. A simple palette of materials that are refective of those seen and used within the locale have been chosen for their quality, variety and craftsmanship.
The hotel is located on the back of the pavement, which helps to reinforce the edge of the street, continue the grain of
the area and allow passers-by to engage with the foyer area.
The hotel was constructed using a prefabricated system of bedroom modules and therefore the design needed to incorporate a high degree of repetition whilst also introducing subtle elements of variety to respond to the context of the area.
Water Orton Methodist Church
WOMC
Warwickshire
Completed 2020
We worked with the Church to develop proposals that would fnally see worship return to an older part of the church and increase community use of the adjacent hall.
Leeds Ice Rink
Planet Ice
Leeds
Completed 2017
Leeds Ice Rink re-used a glulam frame from a temporary ice rink in Cardif.
The frame was dismantled, transported and re-erected, forming the primary frame for the rink area.
Oval Real Estate Digbeth 2020
Designed by Brunel to connect the GWR at Bordesley to Curzon Street, the viaduct was never completed and it has stood abandoned for around 170 years.
Making the viaduct a publicly accessible sky park formed part of Oval’s long-term vision for Digbeth.
Bennetts Hill + Colmore Row
Colmore Properties
Birmingham Completed 2021
Refurbishment of Grade II and Grade II* Listed buildings to provide managed work spaces for a variety of diferent sized businesses.
Our works were focused on the fabric of the building including inflling the courtyard with a glazed roof. We also handled all of the planning and Listed building applications.
Bond Oval Real Estate
Digbeth
Completed 2022
Located on Fazeley Street in Digbeth, The Bond is comprised of fve main structures, all of which have quite diferent architectural characters.
Completed in 2022, the primary objectives were to maintain and celebrate the successful and historic elements, rationalise the internal spaces and improve the landscaping.
The Bond is now a hub for flm, TV and other media companies who like the creative character of Digbeth, with some of the spaces designed for events such as weddings and markets.
The Factory Complex Development Projects Coventry Completed 2021
The food court and external terrace at Fargo opened in mid-June 2021.
Special kitchen pods allow for short term residency for food traders.
YMCA Black Country Group
West Bromwich, Birmingham 2014 - 2016
Overall, this project was 9 years in the making. Our role was to deliver a phased masterplan for the redevelopment of the Carters Green site.
West Bromwich YMCA provides accommodation and training facilities for young homeless people. The purpose of this redevelopment was to provide a renewed and exciting place for residents, staf and visitors within a stimulating and
accessible environment. The wider aim was to consolidate the YMCA’s position within the community allowing the centre to act as a catalyst for regeneration.
Phase one of the development provided a new nursery (above right) and facilities for young people. Phase two (above left) and three enhance existing facilities such as supported accommodation, childcare, ftness facilities, as well as community
facilities including room hire, IT training and a cafe.
A priority for the phase was to locate all the public facilities to the front of the building and create a shared entrance. Bringing these facilities to street level and increased activity have created a more positive presence for the YMCA.
The Drum
The Drum Arts Centre Aston, Birmingham 2015
The Drum Arts Centre is situated on the site of the former Aston Hippodrome with historical arts performances including Laurel & Hardy, Judy Garland and Morecombe & Wise. The Drum is a busy intercultural arts centre and was in need of expansion and refurbishment.
Our proposals involved raising the roof of the main auditorium, improving the external appearance of the building and refurbishing existing facilities.
Our frst involvement with The Drum was many years ago when we were appointed by John Sisk & Son under a Design and Build contract to further develop the concept design for The Drum which was originally carried out by Associated Architects. This became the frst ever project for Larry Priest and Mark Bryant and allowed them to set up practice as Bryant + Priest (a year later Richard Newman joined the team and we became the practice we are today).
The Grand Hotel
Imperial & Whitehall Chambers
Hortons Estate
Birmingham Completed 2017
Forming part of The Grand Hotel redevelopment, we were appointed to refurbish the Imperial and Whitehall Chambers on Colmore Row.
The Grand Hotel, shops and ofces comprise of fve buildings, interlinked internally but refected externally as distinctly separate buildings. Built between 1877 and 1895, the building is Grade II* Listed. Since it opened in 1879 the hotel has had a chequered history, culminating in its closure in 2002.
The brief was to create modern ofce facilities that respected the traditional fabric of the building.
We worked closely with the client, principal Architects for the development, Berman Guedes Stretton and other consultants on the redevelopment.
United Reform Church at Spencer Yard, Leamington
Creative Quarter
Complex Development Projects
Leamington Spa
Completed 2023
The extensive basement underneath the Grade II Listed URC was previously used as a crypt. It is now ofce space, retaining the vaulted brick ceilings and following the existing foor plan.
Edgbaston Indoor Cricket Centre
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Edgbaston, Birmingham
Completed 2001
The Indoor Cricket Centre is a naturally lit and naturally ventilated 8 lane Indoor Cricket Centre.
The building houses ofce accommodation for regional, youth and disabled cricket boards together with changing rooms and toilets, a shop and a top foor bar with views into the cricket hall and an external terrace.
The centre won an RIBA Award in 2001.
“This is a low energy, low maintenance building, carefully designed, eminently ft for purpose, and full of thoughtful touches.” Architects Journal, 2002
Barwick Building
Hortons’ Estate Ltd
Birmingham Completed 2019
Following on from our work on the Imperial and Whitehall Chambers, we completed the refurbishment of the Barwick Building, another phase of the Grade II* Listed Grand Hotel development.
Dartmouth Park Pavillion
Sandwell MBC
West Bromwich, Birmingham
Completed 2011
A community pavilion for Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich. The Pavilion was Phase 2 of a broader project to renovate the historic park with the support from the Heritage Lottery Fund).
Through collaboration with artist David Patten, the design refected aspects of the original park design, particularly the notion of movement through the landscape, the use of framed views, and the mathematics that underpin the original park avenue.
The Box
Complex Development Projects
Coventry Completed 2019
The development of Coventry’s creative village Fargo continued throughout 2018 - 2019 with The Box, a new multipurpose arts and music venue. Literally a box within a box.
Ambulance Preparation & Maintenance Hub
West Midlands Ambulance Service
Willenhall, West Midlands
Completed 2012
We worked with Hortons Estate and Greswolde Construction on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service to deliver a new ambulance preparation and maintenance hub, to serve a network of new ambulance stations in the Black Country.
Eric Hollies Stand
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Edgbaston, Birmingham
Completed 2002
The design of this 5900 seat stand focused on the idea of a lightweight pitched canopy constructed from standardised components. The aim was to create a series of roof planes that appeared to hover above the crowd almost unsupported.
The four solid bays are linked together with lightweight stairs and louvres which indicate the change in geometry. This repetition is carried through to the underside of the stand where each bay
is expressed and linked with the brick panels below. The lightweight cladding and the simple repetition ensured that the structural elements could be kept to a minimum using standard sections in an innovative way making the stand very economical.
The resulting canopy is suspended from a simple steel mast structure that also supports the upper seating tiers.
“Nowhere in this sport can match the old Eric Hollies Stand for banter and bonhomie, for ridiculing misfelds by opponents yet witty with it...”