New Build Apartment Scheme in St Paul's Square, Birmingham
As the last empty plot on St Paul's Square, in the heart of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, this vacant corner car park site demanded a strong, signature building. We were commissioned by the original landowner off the back of a successful planning application on the adjacent plot which had converted the existing street-facing building into offices with luxury apartments above, plus a townhouse mews in the rear courtyard. The challenge here was different in scale: designing a landmark building for one of the Square's most prestigious corners, contemporary in character but sensitive to the Victorian and industrial heritage that defines the area.
The Challenge
Our Response
Throughout the design process, we worked closely with the city council planning authority, securing approval from both the Conservation and Heritage Panel and the Civic Society Planning Group which was essential given the sensitivity of the site.
The Outcome
The proposal combines commercial ground-floor use with upper floors housing just one apartment per level. An additional storey was also added to the adjacent existing building, helping re-balance the wider street scene.
