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Rotunda (Birmingham)
Encyclopedia
The Rotunda is an iconic, cylindrical highrise building in Birmingham
, England
. The Grade II listed building is 81 metres (266 ft) tall and was completed in 1965. It was refurbished between 2004 and 2008 by Urban Splash
with Glenn Howells
who turned it into a residential building with serviced apartment
s on 19th and 20th floors. The building was officially reopened on May 13, 2008.
.
Completed in 1965 as an office block at a cost of £1 million during the post-war rebuilding of the Bull Ring, it was initially much derided and considered a "dead building". However, suggestions in the 1980s that it should be demolished when the Bull Ring was again redeveloped met with equal, if not greater, hostility from the local populace.
In 1974, a pub on the ground floor of the building was the site of one of the Birmingham pub bombings
.
Since construction and prior to the construction of the new Bullring, advertisements were displayed on the top of the building. In the 1960s and 1970s these advertisements were for the property company MEPC plc
, while in the 1980s and 1990s the Rotunda displayed signs for Coca-Cola
. During construction of the new Bullring, advertisements on the top of the building advertised the new development. The building also previously had a digital clock showing the time from the top floors. In August 2000, it received Grade II listed building status.
and Glenn Howells
Architects. The redevelopment created 232 luxury apartments, including six penthouse suites on the 20th floor. The whole of the 19th floor and one of the penthouses on the 20th floor is run as serviced apartments by the Manchester-based operator, Staying Cool. There are fourteen apartments on each floor. All apartments have been sold, with the final 92 being sold within three hours of their release.
Two hi-tech LED
illuminations were installed at the top of the building in 2007. Both LED boards have been removed to make way for a 'light box' which was approved by Birmingham City Council in late-2007. The façade consists of 72 floor-to-ceiling height glass panes, each placed at 5° to the neighbouring window.
On May 18, 2006, strong winds dislodged a pane of glass causing it to fall to the ground resulting in the surrounding area to be closed to the public.
In May 2004, its original architect Jim Roberts
commented:
He also explained that the building had originally been intended to look like a candle
, with a flame-like weather beacon
on top, changing colour to reflect the weather
.
However, by June 2008, investors were already facing a significant financial loss. Rents have been significantly below what was expected, and the value of the flats dropped an average of £25,000 from October 2005 to June 2008.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Grade II listed building is 81 metres (266 ft) tall and was completed in 1965. It was refurbished between 2004 and 2008 by Urban Splash
Urban Splash
Urban Splash is a British company which regenerates decaying industrial warehouses, mills, Victorian terraced houses and other buildings. These buildings have mainly been converted into housing...
with Glenn Howells
Glenn Howells
Glenn Howells is a British born architect. His practice, Glenn Howells Architects, has offices in Birmingham and London. Howells founded his practice in London in 1990 but later moved the main office to Birmingham in 1992....
who turned it into a residential building with serviced apartment
Serviced apartment
A serviced apartment is a type of furnished apartment available for short-term or long-term stays, which provides amenities for daily use. Serviced apartments can be less expensive than equivalent hotel rooms...
s on 19th and 20th floors. The building was officially reopened on May 13, 2008.
History
A part of the James A. Roberts design for the original Bull Ring Shopping Centre included a 12 storey circular office block. This was revised to 25 storeys, abandoning plans for a rooftop restaurant and a cinema. The design was approved and construction began on the 81 metre (265 ft) building in 1961. It was constructed with aid of a tower crane located to the side of the reinforced concrete central core. Due to its proximity to a railway tunnel, the main load was built on to a twin ring of piled foundations directly beneath the circular structural core. The floors are supported by the core and perimeter columns. When opened, the podium had shops and its own work of art, "The Rotunda Relief" at Lloyds banking hall, a circular mural designed by John PooleJohn Poole (sculptor)
A. John Poole, FRBS, Hon. FRBSA, . Was a British freelance sculptor, and winner of 2 Otto Beit medals- Early life :...
.
In 1974, a pub on the ground floor of the building was the site of one of the Birmingham pub bombings
Birmingham pub bombings
The Birmingham pub bombings occurred on 21 November 1974 in Birmingham, England. The explosions killed 21 people and injured 182. The devices were placed in two central Birmingham pubs – the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town . Although warnings were sent, the pubs were not evacuated in time...
.
Since construction and prior to the construction of the new Bullring, advertisements were displayed on the top of the building. In the 1960s and 1970s these advertisements were for the property company MEPC plc
MEPC plc
MEPC plc is a leading British-based property investment and development business. It is headquartered in London. It used to be listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
, while in the 1980s and 1990s the Rotunda displayed signs for Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
. During construction of the new Bullring, advertisements on the top of the building advertised the new development. The building also previously had a digital clock showing the time from the top floors. In August 2000, it received Grade II listed building status.
Refurbishment
From 2004 to 2008, the Rotunda, a Grade II listed building, was refurbished and partially converted for residential use by developer Urban SplashUrban Splash
Urban Splash is a British company which regenerates decaying industrial warehouses, mills, Victorian terraced houses and other buildings. These buildings have mainly been converted into housing...
and Glenn Howells
Glenn Howells
Glenn Howells is a British born architect. His practice, Glenn Howells Architects, has offices in Birmingham and London. Howells founded his practice in London in 1990 but later moved the main office to Birmingham in 1992....
Architects. The redevelopment created 232 luxury apartments, including six penthouse suites on the 20th floor. The whole of the 19th floor and one of the penthouses on the 20th floor is run as serviced apartments by the Manchester-based operator, Staying Cool. There are fourteen apartments on each floor. All apartments have been sold, with the final 92 being sold within three hours of their release.
Two hi-tech LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
illuminations were installed at the top of the building in 2007. Both LED boards have been removed to make way for a 'light box' which was approved by Birmingham City Council in late-2007. The façade consists of 72 floor-to-ceiling height glass panes, each placed at 5° to the neighbouring window.
On May 18, 2006, strong winds dislodged a pane of glass causing it to fall to the ground resulting in the surrounding area to be closed to the public.
In May 2004, its original architect Jim Roberts
Jim Roberts (architect)
Jim Roberts is an architect, known for the Rotunda in Birmingham, England, from which he ran James A. Roberts & Associates....
commented:
He also explained that the building had originally been intended to look like a candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
, with a flame-like weather beacon
Weather beacon
A weather beacon is a beacon that indicates the local weather forecast in a code of colored or flashing lights. Often, a short poem or jingle accompanies the code to make it easier to remember....
on top, changing colour to reflect the weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
.
However, by June 2008, investors were already facing a significant financial loss. Rents have been significantly below what was expected, and the value of the flats dropped an average of £25,000 from October 2005 to June 2008.
See also
- Rotunda (architecture)Rotunda (architecture)A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Birmingham