With a population of over a million and more than six million people within 50 miles of the city, Birmingham is one of the UK’s biggest urban conurbations.
With more parks than any other European city, Birmingham is a surprisingly green place to be with millions of trees. It’s also home to some stunning modern architecture. Here are five more examples that it’s worth watching out for.
Bournville College
The village of Bournville is well known for its connections to the Cadbury chocolate family. The college moved to Longbridge – famous for its car factory – in 2012. The building is meant to evoke a lightning bolt and has a large glass area allowing people to see what is going on inside.
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Opened in 1990, Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency has become one of the city’s best-known landmarks. It is ideally situated for exploring the city or checking out the availability of Birmingham city centre serviced apartments such as those at www.8waterloostreet.co.uk/ if you’re thinking of moving to the area. The hotel with its impressive mirrored frontage has recently undergone a major refurbishment to bring it up to date.
The Spiral Cafe
Winning the 2005 BDI Excellence in Architecture Award, the exterior of the Spiral Cafe is designed to look like a shell and is said to be inspired by Leonardo Fibonacci, the 13th-century mathematician who introduced the Arabic numbering system we still use today to the west. The outside of the cafe has a copper finish patinated by the elements, while the inside is smooth and lit by spheres which are designed to resemble pearls.
Millennium Point
Opened by the Queen in 2002, Millennium Point is a part of the city’s Eastside project. The complex incorporates a science museum, a university campus and a big-screen cinema. Its slab-sided design is made more interesting by the addition of a cylinder housing the cinema.
Newman University
Designed by local architect Glenn Howells the Newman University building is a multi-million-pound project to provide a performance space, library and a new entrance building. Fronted by a canopy supported by slender pillars, the library is built with floor-to-ceiling windows in order to maximise the use of natural light and to give students a calm environment in which to study.