Category: Birmingham Central Library

Posted on

This Brutal City – Birmingham Central Library – John Madin


Love it or hate it, you can’t help but admire the sheer brutal rigour of John Madin’s Birmingham Central Library, lovingly referred to as the Ziggurat.  

This landmark of post war Birmingham is in the process of being dismantled, so before it is lost to history, I thought I’d take my camera out and photograph it while I still had the chance! 

Nikon FM2n 
Ilford XP2 400


Post by modulorMAN

Posted on

The Future’s Bright the Future’s… Still a 3D Visual.

On a grey February lunchtime perhaps its good to look to the bright future of Brum, as presented in the visualizations of Mecanoo, FOA and Glenn Howells.
New Birmingham Central Library, by Mecanoo.
(not my image)
(not my image)
The spherical motif presented in the visuals can now just about be made out in the structure of the building, along with a giant hole in the ground in the middle of Centenary Square, and the two service cores can be seen from across the city.
The old Central Library by John Madin is earmarked for demolition to be replaced a couple of hundred meters away by the Mecanoo scheme.

The new and the old.
Paradise Forum
(not my image)
(not my image)
The connection through Paradise Forum between Chamberlain Square and Centenary Square, where the library currently stands has been re-designed by Glenn Howells. This new open connection links the new library through to Victoria Sq and New Street, with the new station.
The first signs of New-New Street re-development are emerging. Its a long way from looking like the shiny undulating armadillo below.

(not my image)

Its a good job New Street and the library have already started on site, what with the ‘current economic climate’ and the Tory cuts.
MM

Posted on

The Future’s Bright the Future’s… Still a 3D Visual.

On a grey February lunchtime perhaps its good to look to the bright future of Brum, as presented in the visualizations of Mecanoo, FOA and Glenn Howells.
New Birmingham Central Library, by Mecanoo.
(not my image)
(not my image)
The spherical motif presented in the visuals can now just about be made out in the structure of the building, along with a giant hole in the ground in the middle of Centenary Square, and the two service cores can be seen from across the city.
The old Central Library by John Madin is earmarked for demolition to be replaced a couple of hundred meters away by the Mecanoo scheme.

The new and the old.
Paradise Forum
(not my image)
(not my image)
The connection through Paradise Forum between Chamberlain Square and Centenary Square, where the library currently stands has been re-designed by Glenn Howells. This new open connection links the new library through to Victoria Sq and New Street, with the new station.
The first signs of New-New Street re-development are emerging. Its a long way from looking like the shiny undulating armadillo below.

(not my image)

Its a good job New Street and the library have already started on site, what with the ‘current economic climate’ and the Tory cuts.
MM