BIRMINGHAM'S BRUTALIST LIBRARY TO BE DEMOLISHED

摘要

Last week, Dutch practice Mecanoo saw off the might of firms such as Foster + Partners, OMA and Hopkins to win the coveted commission for a ￡193 million library in Birmingham (AJ online 05.08.08). But while Birmingham City Council congratulated itself on resisting the charms of lofty names in favour of the less-renowned practice, the move spells the end for John Madin's 1974 Brutalist Central Library. To fund the scheme - which includes the complete redevelopment of the city's Centenary Square, down to the entrance of shopping centre and office development the Mailbox and around city-centre site Paradise Circus (see map above right) - the council will need to sell its land assets for commercial develop- ment, including the land that Madin's library sits on. The new library will be located next to Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Mecanoo principal and co-founder Francine Houben says: 'I'm always interested in incorporating the building with public space - I try to deal with grass and trees - and I hope to integrate that with Centenary Square. 'There is a backbone through the centre of Birmingham, and it's very interesting what the council has planned for this square, so I thought I could work with that.'