Celebration for firm that saved Brum landmarks
THE property developer who has transformed some of Birmingham’s best-known landmark buildings is hosting an exhibition in the city to mark its 25th birthday.
Urban Splash led the redevelopment of the Rotunda in New Street, which saw the former 1960s office building converted into 234 new apartments in 2008.
It later spearheaded the overhaul of Fort Dunlop, the derelict tyre factory in Castle Bromwich, to create modern office and retail space and a new Travelodge hotel.
The offices, overlooking the M6, opened in 2006 and were until recently the home of the Birmingham Post until the newspaper’s move to the city centre. Urban Splash has created an exhibition of its developments under the banner ‘It will never work’.
That is a nod to the reaction it has received over the years when outlining some of its ambitious projects.
The Manchester developer has teamed up the Royal Institute of British Architects to curate the exhibition, which traces the company from its first project to today.
New projects include Port Loop, the long-awaited residential development next to Birmingham Canal Old Line near Edgbaston Reservoir, phase one of which was green lighted in October, and which will comprise 117 houses and 90 apartments.
Urban Splash was co-founded in 1993 by Jonathan Falkingham and Tom Bloxham.
“We’ve had such an exciting 25 years,” said Jonathan. “I’m thrilled we can bring this exhibition to a city that has played a major part in our story.
“Fort Dunlop is the biggest single building we have ever redeveloped, creating 400,000 sq ft of workspace, retail space and a hotel.
“It was a big success and brought an important structure back to life.
“Equally with Rotunda, we spent a lot of time in Birmingham during its redevelopment, ensuring we had correctly gauged what people wanted from the project to help us preserve an important icon.
“I look forward to showing people these projects, plus all of our significant achievements from the past quarter of a century.”
The exhibition is at Glenn Howells Architects in Bradford Street, Digbeth, until July 17.