The highly anticipated tower at Arena Central, Birmingham, was unveiled to an international audience at MIPIM - the property industry’s annual showcase in Cannes.
Being developed by Dandara, with a design team led by world class architect Eric Kuhne, ‘The V Building’ has been heralded as one of Birmingham’s most ambitious development projects. The site for the proposed tower is on Suffolk Street Queensway, at the south eastern edge of the 7.6 acre Arena Central regeneration scheme, adjacent to the 27 storey Alpha Tower, already one of the city’s tallest landmarks. Subject to planning - which will be submitted next month - at 50 storeys high, and measuring 150 metres, The V Building will transform the Birmingham skyline.
The mixed-use development will feature active uses at street level, including several bars and fine dining restaurants, as well as a Sky Bar and Observatory located at the top of the tower. The proposed 600 private residential apartments, comprising studios and one, two and threebedroom designs, together with 60 serviced suites, will also be served by a spa, resident’s library and private reception rooms, including an exclusive club room.
Work could start on site later this year, with the build programme expected to take three years to complete. The gross development value of The V Building is in excess of £150m.
Martin Clancy, managing director of Dandara, said: “A tower at Arena Central has been subject for industry discussion since the late 1990’s when the concept was first proposed. When we were selected by Arena Central Developments Ltd as the development partner for the tower, we knew this was an unmatched opportunity to turn the eyes of international design and property commentators to Birmingham. It is also the ideal opportunity to commence our work in the region, working with enterprising developers and local authority.
“Having secured the architect behind Darling Harbour in Sydney and the world’s tallest tower - which is proposed as part of Kuwait’s City of Silk development – we believe we have the ngredients to give Birmingham a world class signature landmark. Bullring has acted as a magnet for the city’s retail offering, as well as a symbol of iconic architecture, but The V Building could catapult Birmingham into a city of real international kudos, such as Chicago or Barcelona.”
The new name for the Arena Central tower has been derived from the elongated ‘V’ which has been designed into its external elevations, culminating in a scissor like roof that will slice the sky and frame the Sky Bar and Observatory. The building’s exterior will be clad with latticed glass with luminescent qualities, enabling it to shine in the day and glow at night – a fitting image for what will become one of the UK’s tallest residential buildings.
Eric Kuhne, a Texan-born architect whose current commissions include creating a version of President Bush’s Camp David country retreat for Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, has not curtailed his reputation for thinking big when channelling his thoughts into Birmingham.
Mr Kuhne comments: “To have the opportunity to be involved in the redevelopment of over seven acres of prime real estate in one of Europe’s most important cities is an opportunity that must be grabbed by the horns and fully exploited. Just by noting Arena Central’s location, situated between The Mailbox and Brindleyplace and opposite the ICC, acknowledges what an incredible opportunity this is for Birmingham to continue the transformation of the city’s ‘Westside’.
“I’ve always wanted to design a tower that has equal proportions of elegance and masculinity, and appears to change shape when viewed from different angles, both near and afar. However, if The V Building was in Chicago or New York, it would be just another tower to be appreciated up close, crowded by the many other skyscrapers when viewed as part of the skyline.
“Birmingham has too much heritage to become a city dominated by towers, but the local authority has recognised how important symbolic tall structures are to the international reputation of major cities. My personal ambition for The V Building was to give Birmingham the same level of recognition the Sears Building gave Chicago. The fact local people and visitors to the city will be able to appreciate this building from miles around from the outside, as well as from the inside looking out, is one of the most exciting elements of this project.”
The V Building will be the centrepiece for Arena Central, which has outline planning consent for two million sq ft of prime mixed-use space. The project will inject a total of £400m into Birmingham and is recognised as the largest regeneration scheme within the city core. Arena Central, which will be delivered by a joint venture between Miller Developments and Bridgehouse Capital, is bordered by Suffolk Street Queensway, Broad Street, Bridge Street and Holliday Street.
Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The V Building will be an iconic building for the city of Birmingham, enhancing our skyline. We are a global city with a local heart and Dandara’s stunning vision for this futuristic building will ensure we stand out on the world stage. The excellent style and design is indicative of how we see Birmingham developing. I hope this building will be the first of many that will see Birmingham transformed by beautiful architecture.”
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