Rotunda, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rotunda |
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| General information | |
| Type |
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| Architectural style | Modern |
| Address | New Street, Birmingham, England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′42.03″N 1°53′43.40″W / 52.4783417°N 1.8953889°W |
| Construction started | 1961 |
| Completed | 1965 |
| Renovated | 2004-2008 |
| Height | 81 metres (266 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 25 |
| Lifts/elevators | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Jim Roberts |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Glenn Howells Architects |
| Renovating firm | Urban Splash |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated: | 9 August 2000 |
| Reference #: | 1381413 |
The Rotunda is a tall, round building in Birmingham, England. It stands 81 meters (265 feet) high and was finished in 1965. This building is so important that it has a special status called a Grade II listed building.
It was first designed by architect James A. Roberts to be an office building. However, between 2004 and 2008, it was completely updated by a company called Urban Splash and architect Glenn Howells. They changed it into a place where people could live, with apartments and special "serviced apartments" (like hotel rooms with extra services) on the 19th and 20th floors. The Rotunda officially reopened on May 13, 2008.
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Building History and Design
The idea for the Rotunda came from architect James A. Roberts. He was designing the original Bull Ring Shopping Centre and wanted a 12-story round office building. Later, this plan changed to a much taller 25-story building.
Construction of the 81-meter (265-foot) building started in 1961. It was built using a special tower crane. Because it was very close to a railway tunnel, the building's main weight was placed on strong foundations shaped like two rings. These rings were directly under the building's round center. The floors are held up by this central core and columns around the edge.
When it first opened, the ground floor had shops. It also featured a circular artwork called "The Rotunda Relief" by John Poole inside a bank.
Unique Construction Method
The way the Rotunda was built was very unusual for its time. Because there wasn't much space to build, most of the building was put together at ground level. Then, it was "jacked up" one floor at a time. This clever method allowed heavy equipment for the top floor, like the boiler house, to be installed easily on the ground. This meant they didn't need to use cranes to lift the equipment once the building was tall.
However, the supports for the hydraulic pumps (which lifted the building) started to move towards the railway lines. Because of this, the building could not reach its originally planned height.
Early Years and Public Opinion
The Rotunda was completed in 1965 as an office block. It cost £1 million to build, which was a lot of money back then. It was part of the effort to rebuild the Bull Ring after the war.
At first, many people didn't like the building and even called it a "dead building." But later, in the 1980s, when there were talks about tearing it down, people in Birmingham strongly disagreed. They wanted to keep it.
In August 2000, the Rotunda received its Grade II listed building status. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected because of its history and architecture.
Advertisements on the Rotunda
For many years, large advertisements were displayed at the top of the Rotunda. In the 1960s and 1970s, you might have seen ads for a property company called MEPC plc and Double Diamond beer. In the 1980s and 1990s, the building showed signs for Coca-Cola. While the new Bullring shopping center was being built, the Rotunda advertised the new development. The building also used to have a digital clock showing the time from its top floors.
Modern Renovation
From 2004 to 2008, the Rotunda was given a big makeover. The company Urban Splash and Glenn Howells Architects led this project. They changed the building from offices into 232 fancy apartments. This included six special penthouse apartments on the 20th floor. The entire 19th floor and one of the penthouses are now run as "serviced apartments" by a company called Staying Cool. Each floor has fourteen apartments. All the apartments sold very quickly, with the last 92 selling in just three hours!
New Look and Features
In 2007, two cool LED light displays were put on top of the building. These have since been replaced with a "light box" design, which was approved in late 2007. The outside of the building is now made of 72 tall glass panes, reaching from floor to ceiling. Each pane is set at a slight angle to the next one, giving the building a unique look.
On May 18, 2006, strong winds caused a pane of glass to come loose and fall to the ground. This led to the area around the building being temporarily closed for safety.
Architect's Thoughts on the Renovation
In May 2004, the original architect, Jim Roberts, shared his thoughts on the renovation:
The top floor has no central column, to allow it to rotate. The weight is instead suspended off the column which runs through the building core.
The idea for the revolving restaurant was only scrapped at the last minute after the Rotunda's shell was built. I can't reveal anything about the new design, but it has my full backing.
What they are looking at doing with the building is excellent and will make it more eye-catching and I'm extremely delighted to have been involved in the project.
The new developers seem more receptive to ideas than when I designed it.
It would have been a very exciting development, but because it was very developer-led many features were cut as they wouldn't generate extra revenue from firms taking office space.
I can't wait to come and see it after the refurbishment.
He also explained that he originally wanted the building to look like a candle. It would have had a flame-like weather beacon on top that changed color to show the weather.
However, by June 2008, some people who bought apartments faced a financial challenge. The rental income was lower than expected, and the value of the flats had dropped.
Images for kids
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The Rotunda in 1983, with Coca-Cola advertisements.
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The Rotunda on the 20 April 2006 during refurbishment.
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16 June 2006 with most of the walls removed, to be replaced with glazing.
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The Rotunda in 2007 during the refurbishment. The majority of the windows and cladding has been installed.
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The Rotunda 6 August 2008, completed refurbishment with many apartments occupied or up for rental.
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Interior of one of the single apartments showing the kitchen area.
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The Rotunda in 2024.
