UK: Designs for the rebuilding of Perry Barr station in Birmingham have been revised in response to overwhelmingly negative public and stakeholder responses to the initial proposal.
When the designs were unveiled in September, social media feedback included ‘the architecture of a miserable and joyless world’, unfavourable comparisons with relocatable buildings, and a comment that ‘my cats sit in nicer shoeboxes’.
‘We received the message loud and clear that people expected more in terms of design for this key location and went back and looked at it again’, said Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street on December 8. ‘We hope the revised design will create a station that the area and community can be proud of.’
Transport for West Midlands said the current station is ‘one of the most outdated and unattractive in the region’. The rebuilt station is to include a ticket office, toilets and baby change facilities, new stairs and lifts to provide full accessibility.
The revised design released on December 8 includes more windows and perforated weathering steel panels to add interest and create a ‘visual landmark’ by day and night. Proposals for landscaping the surrounding public areas have also been amended.
Birmingham City Council is consulting on the revised design, and a decision is expected in January 2021.
Contractor Galliford Try is to begin site surveys and the removal of some of the neighbouring structures by the end of this year, ahead of main construction in spring 2021. Completion is planned ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
