Comments on: Birmingham Central Library “granted immunity from listing” http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/ New futures for Birmingham's historic buildings Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:05:36 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rob T http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/comment-page-1/#comment-969 Rob T Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:23:44 +0000 http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/?p=1031#comment-969 At first I was in favour of this building being demolished, but having considered the possibility of a 'vast hole' being left to exist for a good few years while people in Birmingham row with each other about what should be put there instead (not to mention the city council spending years arguing with a prospective Conservative government) I think the people of Birmingham (and being a Londoner this may sound controversial) should take deep breath - and stick with this building. Then turn it into a modern art gallery BUT make it the most amazing Modern Art gallery in Britain. All it takes is abit of imagination e.g. putting coloured glass panels in too create streams of coloured light when caught by the sun...or using interesting lighting and projecting images onto the building like they do with the National Theatre in London...or using low energy neon strip lighting in various colours underneath each concrete instep on the side of the building. Just imagination that's all! I think English Heritage are right this time about the building being kept - and I am no huge fan of brutalist architecture by any means. As one person on here said already - why not make it the TATE West Midlands or simply Birmingham TATE. We have to stop thinking in this country that Art is for the elite only as this is nonsense. They don't share this same outlook in Germany or France or anywhere in western Europe for that matter. At first I was in favour of this building being demolished, but having considered the possibility of a ‘vast hole’ being left to exist for a good few years while people in Birmingham row with each other about what should be put there instead (not to mention the city council spending years arguing with a prospective Conservative government) I think the people of Birmingham (and being a Londoner this may sound controversial) should take deep breath – and stick with this building. Then turn it into a modern art gallery BUT make it the most amazing Modern Art gallery in Britain.

All it takes is abit of imagination e.g. putting coloured glass panels in too create streams of coloured light when caught by the sun…or using interesting lighting and projecting images onto the building like they do with the National Theatre in London…or using low energy neon strip lighting in various colours underneath each concrete instep on the side of the building. Just imagination that’s all!

I think English Heritage are right this time about the building being kept – and I am no huge fan of brutalist architecture by any means. As one person on here said already – why not make it the TATE West Midlands or simply Birmingham TATE. We have to stop thinking in this country that Art is for the elite only as this is nonsense. They don’t share this same outlook in Germany or France or anywhere in western Europe for that matter.

]]> By: Christian Barry http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/comment-page-1/#comment-942 Christian Barry Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:59:27 +0000 http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/?p=1031#comment-942 The Central Library building would make a perfect modern art gallery. This important building should be preserved and donated to the TATE, to hopefully create TATE West Midlands. The Central Library building would make a perfect modern art gallery. This important building should be preserved and donated to the TATE, to hopefully create TATE West Midlands.

]]> By: Photos of Birmingham Central Library | Birmingham Conservation Trust http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/comment-page-1/#comment-904 Photos of Birmingham Central Library | Birmingham Conservation Trust Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:12:57 +0000 http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/?p=1031#comment-904 [...] you may know the 1974 Central Library in Birmingham won’t be listed, which means it is very likely to be [...] [...] you may know the 1974 Central Library in Birmingham won’t be listed, which means it is very likely to be [...]

]]> By: Paul Ashton http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/comment-page-1/#comment-890 Paul Ashton Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:09:07 +0000 http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/?p=1031#comment-890 Well, this government is dead in the water without an original idea left in its collective "brain". So perhaps the immunity from listing can be challenged within six months or so. We walked through the concourse on Thursday evening last week and found the new flooring and lack of romanesque pillars a great relief. There should indeed be a future for this iconic structure that links two areas of the city so successfully. As to the library itself, my good lady wife, born south of the Watford Gap, thinks it a marvelous edifice of knowledge. As it indeed is! Well, this government is dead in the water without an original idea left in its collective “brain”. So perhaps the immunity from listing can be challenged within six months or so. We walked through the concourse on Thursday evening last week and found the new flooring and lack of romanesque pillars a great relief. There should indeed be a future for this iconic structure that links two areas of the city so successfully. As to the library itself, my good lady wife, born south of the Watford Gap, thinks it a marvelous edifice of knowledge. As it indeed is!

]]> By: Five Years, that’s all we’ve got | Pete Ashton http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2009/11/birmingham-central-library-granted-immunity-from-listing/comment-page-1/#comment-889 Five Years, that’s all we’ve got | Pete Ashton Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:26:18 +0000 http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/?p=1031#comment-889 [...] the anti-gang won a victory as the government granted the building immunity from listing, which is a strange use of the term “immunity” – it’s like saying [...] [...] the anti-gang won a victory as the government granted the building immunity from listing, which is a strange use of the term “immunity” – it’s like saying [...]

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