Selfridges Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Selfridges Building |
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View from Park St car park
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| General information | |
| Type | Department Store |
| Architectural style | Blobitecture |
| Location | Park Street, Birmingham, England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′40.02″N 1°53′32.13″W / 52.4777833°N 1.8922583°W |
| Construction started | 1999 |
| Completed | September 2003 |
| Cost | £60 million |
| Owner | Selfridges & Co. |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Steel framework with sprayed concrete facade |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Floor area | 14,864m² (160,000sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Jan Kaplický, Amanda Levete |
| Architecture firm | Future Systems |
| Structural engineer | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Services engineer | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Main contractor | Laing O'Rourke |
The Selfridges Building is a super cool and famous building in Birmingham, England. It's part of the big Bullring Shopping Centre. This amazing building is home to the Selfridges Department Store.
The building was finished in 2003. It cost about £60 million to build. The design came from an architecture company called Future Systems. The building has a strong steel framework. Its outside is covered with a special sprayed concrete layer. Since it was built, the Selfridges Building has become a well-known landmark. It helped make Birmingham a more modern city. You might have even seen it as a background in Windows 7!
Contents
Discovering the Unique Architecture
The architecture firm Future Systems was chosen for this project. They were asked by Selfridge's boss, Vittorio Radice. This was only the third Selfridges store outside London.
A Stand-Out Design
Even though Selfridges is inside the Bullring Shopping Centre, the owners wanted it to look different. They wanted a design that would make the store special. It needed to be easy to spot and remember. This unique look helps people recognize the Selfridges brand right away.
The Curved Facade and Discs
The outside of the building, called the facade, is very curvy. It wraps around the corner where Moor Street and Park Street meet. This curved shape is one of its most famous features. The facade is covered with 15,000 shiny discs. These discs are made of anodised aluminium. They are placed on a bright blue background. This makes the building look like it's covered in thousands of tiny, sparkling circles.
Awards and Recognition
The Selfridges Building has won many awards. These awards celebrate its amazing design and construction.
- RIBA Award for Architecture 2004
- Concrete Society Awards, Overall Winner 2004
- British Constructional Steelwork Association's Structural Steel Awards 2004
- Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, Retail Innovation 2004
- Institution of Civil Engineers, Project Award Winner 2004
- Civic Trust Award 2004
- Retail Week Awards, Retail Destination of the Year 2004
Images for kids
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Detail of aluminium disc cladding
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View from the Bull Ring
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Road level view of building
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Interior escalators
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Side view of the building
External Links
