Release from RIBA 7 January 2008
Selection of Visionary Concept Designer:
New Street Gateway Project - redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station and its environs

The RIBA is pleased to announce the launch of a selection process for a Concept Designer to develop the overarching building vision for the project to redevelop Birmingham’s New Street Station and surrounding area. The RIBA Competitions Office is managing the selection process on behalf of the New Street Gateway partnership, which involves Network Rail; Birmingham City Council; Advantage West Midlands; Centro (West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive) and the Department for Transport (DfT).

The Concept Designer will be responsible for defining the external form of the proposed flagship £550m redevelopment and maintaining a strong architectural language for the site’s external façades and atrium roof aspects of the project throughout the stages of the design development.

Martin Chambers, Network Rail’s Project Director said: ‘This is an excellent opportunity to create a design that lives up to the station’s status as one of the most important rail hubs in the country. Its design will need to act on both a functional and symbolic level and reflect the aspirations of modern day Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region.’

Councillor Mike Whitby, Chairman of the Gateway Steering Group and Leader of the City Council said: ‘Achieving a first-class design for the redeveloped New Street Station is a fundamental part of our drive to further Birmingham’s position on the world stage, which is the core of our City Centre Masterplan. We want to create an attractive and iconic landmark for local people and the 30 million plus visitors who come to Birmingham each year. I hope that with some imaginative design, New Street will act as a beacon of good design at the heart of our regenerated city centre.’

With the volume of passengers expected to grow over the next twenty years, Birmingham New Steeet Station in its current format will have insufficient capacity to meet the forecast passenger demand. The New Street Gateway project has been drawn up in response to address the challenges the current station faces.

A provisional sum of £30 million (Q2 2005 prices) has been allocated for the atrium space and external façade works. Although the external envelope may help to inform the interior, the detailed reconfiguration of the station, its organisational structure and operation has been the subject of a previous contract. The winning Concept Designer will work with an Integrated Project Team (primarily consisting of Network Rail, a Delivery Partner and a Lead Consultant) to ensure that the overall vision is achieved.

From the initial Expressions of Interest, up to six designers will be invited to produce an architectural model and concept design sketches in response to the site context, and attend an interview to outline their vision to the Jury Panel. Each of the short-listed teams will receive an honorarium payment of GBP £10,000 (plus VAT). For a Preliminary Briefing Paper and details of how to enter the competition please contact the RIBA Competitions Office: Tel. +44(0)113-234-1335, or visit www.architecture.com/competitions. The Expression of Interest deadline is 12.00hrs GMT on Monday 28 January 2008.



Birmingham office building

Birmingham landmark

Birmingham New Street : Birmingham Building

RIBA Competitions Office offers a tailored competition management service delivering excellence in design. For further details visit www.architecture.com/competitions.

The Government announced £128 million of funding for New Street Gateway in July 2007.

Further decisions as part of the Department for Transport’s Regional Funding Allocation, and a joint Birmingham City Council / Advantage West Midlands bid for money from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) are expected to be made in the New Year.
In total, the New Street Gateway Steering Committee has bid for £350 million in public money to fund the redevelopment, which once secured, will unlock a further £200 million in private sector investment for the scheme.
New Street Gateway will see the 1960’s built station undergo a dramatic redevelopment, transforming the dark, crowded underground station into a bright, modern 21st Century transport hub for Birmingham and the West Midlands region.
The Project will double passenger capacity of the station, relieving congestion and be a catalyst for creating more than 5,000 jobs. The Project will redevelop and regenerate the area around the station and will include better pedestrian connections right across the city centre.
The New Street Gateway Steering Group is made up of representatives from: Birmingham City Council; Network Rail; Centro WMPTA and Advantage West Midlands.



World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe

Birmingham New Street redevelopment - initial architect : John McAslan

English Architecture

Birmingham Architecture Competition : Bentley Library

Birmingham Library Building

London Railway Stations

Comments / photos for the Birmingham New Street Station Architecture page welcome: info@e-architect.co.uk

Birmingham New Street Station - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt