Selfridges Building, Birmingham

The Selfridges Building is a landmark building in Birmingham, England. The building is part of the Bullring Shopping Centre and houses Selfridges Department Store. The building was completed in 2003 at a cost of £60 million[1] and designed by the architecture firm Future Systems. It has a steel framework with sprayed concrete facade.[2] Since its construction, the building has become an iconic architectural landmark and seen as a major contribution to the regeneration of Birmingham.[3] It is included as a desktop background as part of the Architecture theme in Windows 7.

Selfridges Building
View from Park St car park
General information
TypeDepartment Store
Architectural styleBlobitecture
LocationPark Street, Birmingham, England
Coordinates52°28′40.02″N 1°53′32.13″W
Construction started1999
CompletedSeptember 2003 (2003-09)
Cost£60 million
OwnerSelfridges & Co.
Technical details
Structural systemSteel framework with sprayed concrete facade
Floor count6
Floor area14,864m² (160,000sq ft)
Design and construction
ArchitectJan Kaplický, Amanda Levete
Architecture firmFuture Systems
Structural engineerOve Arup & Partners
Services engineerOve Arup & Partners
Main contractorLaing O'Rourke

Architecture

The architecture firm Future Systems were appointed by Selfridge's then chief executive, Vittorio Radice, to design only the third store outside London. Although Selfridges was physically integrated with the Bullring Shopping Centre the client wanted a distinct design approach which would set the store apart from the rest of the development and become an instantly recognisable signpost for the brand.[1] The building's facade is curved, wrapping around the corner of Moor Street and Park Street. The facade comprises 15,000 anodised aluminium discs mounted on a blue background.

Awards
  • Detail of aluminium disc cladding
  • View from the Bull Ring
  • Road level view of building
  • Interior escalators
  • Side view of the building

References
  1. Flatman, Ben (2008), Birmingham: Shaping the City, RIBA Publishing, p. 147, ISBN 978-1-85946-245-4
  2. Selfridges Structural Frame, Steel Construction.org, archived from the original on 24 October 2010
  3. Brown, John Murray (28 September 2015). "Regeneration and quality woo savvy shoppers to Birmingham". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 22 January 2016.


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