Archinect - News

AI project proposal for a 500 unit residential development in Digbeth, Birmingham

2017-04-11T15:20:00-04:00

London-based practice Architects of Invention (AI) has submitted a design proposal for 500 residential units in Birmingham’s Digbeth area.

The practice was approached by Chinese private equity fund PGC- Capital whose The Jewel Court, 77 one-two bed luxury apartments, is already on site in Birmingham.

The design concept - ‘Garden Hill’ - is inspired by The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: an oasis-like residence for Birmingham’s growing, multicultural population. The two dramatic 25-storey staggered towers, hung with gardens at every level, give all occupants and visitors access to private and shared terraces and a spacious rooftop garden. The entire block is made of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) as an exercise in highly sustainable construction.

The proposal suggests a new model for live / work / play, where the units are small, but there are large shared facilities for communal living and working, including music recording studios and small rental units for startups. The scheme proposes gro...

Grimshaw and Arup release designs for new high-speed rail hub in central London

2015-09-12T05:15:00-04:00

Beginning in 2017, the London transit hub that's been described as "a dingy, grey, horizontal nothingness"* will undergo a massive redesign to incorporate a new high-speed rail line connecting London and Birmingham.

The first phase of the so-called HS2, connecting London and Birmingham (before forking out to reach Manchester and Leeds in phase two), is expected to open in 2026, and developer HS2 Ltd. has just released designs by Arup and Grimshaw Architects for its outset station in central London, a redevelopment of Euston station.

Grimshaw and Arup's design crafts an incremental approach to maintain current activity at the station during construction. Additions to the station include 11 new platforms for the HS2, a new glass façade and three new entrances.

First opening in 1837, Euston station was London's first intercity line, and ranks as its 6th busiest. Its original classical design was demolished in 1961 and replaced with what has been derided by Richard Morrison of The Times as...

20th Century architecture: Is it the end of our 'concrete jungles'?

2014-08-04T13:57:00-04:00

Concrete was the building material beloved by councils as they embarked on post-World War Two development. But it is fair to say many people were never quite as taken with grey skyscrapers and suspended walkways. Now several of the cities defined by concrete - Birmingham, Coventry, Hull and Portsmouth - are undergoing multimillion-pound makeovers. But what are they losing in their quest to be the "modern cities" of the 21st - rather than the 20th - Century?

2014 RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist is revealed

2014-07-17T15:48:00-04:00

It's that time of year again. Six buildings were just announced for the 2014 shortlist of the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for best new building in the UK. Each contender will be judged particularly for its design excellence and its significance in the evolution of architecture and the built environment.

Find out more on Bustler.