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Architects: Broadway Malyan
- Year: 2011
Text description provided by the architects. The brand new £66 million Bournville College campus in Birmingham, UK, designed by global architecture, urbanism and design practice Broadway Malyan, and built by national contractor Shepherd Construction for developer St Modwen, has been opened at an event attended by senior officials, local government delegates and over 500 VIP guests.
Former UK government cabinet member David Miliband also visited new 250,000 square feet building and 4.2 acre campus, which has capacity for 15,000 students and will consolidate the College’s three existing campuses. He described the College as a source of inspiration to young people in the Midlands and said: “It has got a wow factor and is a real temple of learning and a source of hope for Longbridge and Birmingham as a whole.”
Broadway Malyan director Aidan Ridyard said: “Our education sector experts have delivered a state-of-the-art Further Education facility that will provide students and staff with one of the most contemporary learning environments in Europe, following close partnering with stakeholders, including the College and Birmingham City Council.
“As one of the last of the major Learning and Skills Council-funded projects, the College has been designed as an assertive building to redefine the image of the College, maximise the potential of the landmark site and, as the first part of a wider masterplan, ensure the campus is a bold catalyst in the redevelopment and regeneration of the wider Longbridge area.”
The building is hinged around a dramatic linear central spine which houses classrooms. The spine links to ‘The Street’, which will act as the main social heart of the College, and provide a connection to the blocks around the perimeter which will be occupied by vocational study areas. The latter include glazed sections facing onto The Street, to provide ‘active frontages’ to passers-by.
Meanwhile, a Learning and Resource Centre, which will eventually face the new town square as part of the site’s masterplan, has been designed to present a strong welcoming image, with a fully-glazed façade wrapped by 34 huge glulam beams.
Norman Cave, Principal of Bournville College added: “This is a project that has been six years in the making from conception to completion. We’ve been waiting with anticipation for this milestone moment and are pleased about starting a new chapter in the history of Bournville College.”
