New Futures for Birmingham`s Historic Buildings

Friday Photo: Farewell Birmingham Central Library

Posted December 18th, 2015 by Julie Webb with 4 Comments

Today’s Friday photo is of the demolition of Birmingham Central Library.  Opened in 1974 the Library was designed by local architect John Madin in the brutalist style. Since it open it created a marmite effect, some loved it some hated it. The ...

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The Witches’ Promise at Weoley Castle

Posted June 28th, 2012 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with No Comments

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre has joined forces with Birmingham City Council’s Library and Archive Services to bring a range of theatre projects to six local libraries across the city (Springhill, Ward End, Weoley Castle, Harborne, Hall Green and Quinton). The Neighbourhood REP projects, ...

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Why contribute to the spread of ugliness? – an exhibition on John Madin at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham

Posted April 14th, 2012 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with 1 Comment

One of the boxes from the John Madin Design Group. Image copyright Stuart Whipps. Click to visit his website. Last month I decided to take a look around the Ikon Gallery where I was just in time to see the exhibition ‘Why Contribute ...

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Shakespeare Memorial Room

Posted August 5th, 2011 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with No Comments

Whether you love or hate Birmingham’s most talked about 20th Century building –the Central Library, is home to the Shakespeare Memorial Room. The room, created in 1882 to house the Shakespeare Library, was designed by John Henry Chamberlain who was responsible for ...

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Project Brutal: Update

Posted May 4th, 2010 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with No Comments

Following on from a previous post about Project Brutal: the project now has a discussion forum, where the people interested in documenting the Central Library can chat. The forum can be found here. Photo credit: Martin Hartland

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Project Brutal

Posted March 25th, 2010 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with 1 Comment

Birmingham Central Library could be considered the Marmite of libraries: you either love it, or you hate it. Well, here is a project for those who wish to profess their love for that Brutalist structure: Project Brutal. (via Created in Birmingham) “Project Brutal: Initial ...

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Photos of Birmingham Central Library

Posted December 6th, 2009 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with No Comments

As you may know the 1974 Central Library in Birmingham won’t be listed, which means it is very likely to be demolished. Pete Ashton has created a flickr group to collect photographs of the library before it goes. Whatever your opinion of the ...

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Birmingham Central Library “granted immunity from listing”

Posted November 23rd, 2009 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with 6 Comments

Central Library in Birmingham by Rory Munro - click for original. The government has announced that the John Madin designed Birmingham Central Library will not be listed – which means that the building can now be demolished as part of Birmingham’s Big City ...

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Government to announce decision on Listing for Birmingham Central Library

Posted November 22nd, 2009 by Birmingham Conservation Trust with 1 Comment

Birmingham Central Library. Photo: Matthew Black Tomorrow we are all expecting to find out the fate of Birmingham’s famous  Central  library.  Will it be listed, and so protected from demolition, or not?  Culture minister Margaret Hodge has the final say and  it is ...

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