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Architects: Mecanoo
- Area: 35000 m²
- Year: 2013
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Photographs:Christian Richters
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Manufacturers: Hunter Douglas Architectural (Europe), Kingspan Insulated Panels, Lamberts, Sika, Clark Door, Derako, Hunter Douglas, Radmat
Text description provided by the architects. Palazzos Centenary Square, the largest public square in the heart of Birmingham, currently lacks cohesion or a clear identity or atmosphere. Mecanoo’s design transforms the square into one with three distinct realms: monumental, cultural and entertainment. These palazzos form an urban narrative of important periods in the history of the city; The Repertory Theatre (REP), a 1960s concrete building, the Library of Birmingham, designed in 2009 and Baskerville House, a listed sandstone building designed in 1936. The busiest pedestrian route in the city, what Mecanoo calls the red line, leads pedestrians into Centenary Square. The cantilever of the library is not only a large canopy that provides shelter at the common entrance of the Library of Birmingham and the REP, but additionally forms a grand city balcony with views of the events and happenings on the square.
