V Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids V Building |
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| General information | |
| Status | On hold |
| Location | Broad Street, Birmingham, England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′40.91″N 1°54′20.91″W / 52.4780306°N 1.9058083°W |
| Construction started | 2006 |
| Completed | Unknown |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 152 metres (499 ft) |
| Roof | 147 metres (482 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 51 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Eric Kuhne |
| Developer | Dandara |
The V Building was a very tall building planned for Broad Street in Birmingham, England. It was going to be a 51-storey residential skyscraper, meaning it would have mostly apartments for people to live in. This huge project was part of a bigger plan called Arena Central. The area used to be home to TV studios, which closed in 1997.
The V Building was meant to be a key part of a large development. This development would have included offices, shops, restaurants, cafes, and even a hotel. It was going to be built right next to Alpha Tower, which is one of Birmingham's tallest buildings. The whole project was expected to cost a lot of money.
The building was supposed to be finished by 2009, but there were many delays. Later, the developers hoped to finish it by 2013. In 2009, they got permission to extend the building plans for another five years. However, the project was officially cancelled in 2014. New plans for the site were then approved, but they did not include such a tall tower.
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Early Plans and Big Ideas
The V Building wasn't part of the very first ideas for Arena Central back in 1998. At that time, no buildings were planned to be taller than 20 storeys. But soon after, a tall tower was added to the design.
A Record-Breaking Design
The first design for the tower was created by HOK Architects. It was planned to be 50 storeys tall and reach 245 metres (about 804 feet) to the top of its spire. If it had been built at that height, it would have been the tallest building in England and one of the tallest in Europe!
However, the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, didn't approve of such a tall building in 2000. He made the developers make it smaller, down to 187 metres (about 614 feet). After these changes, the overall plan for the area was approved.
Delays and Changes
The 9/11 attacks in 2001 caused many problems for the project. People worried that such a tall building could be a target. Because of these safety concerns, one of the original partners, Hampton Trust, left the project. For two years, there was no news about the development.
In 2003, a new partner, Andy Ruhan, joined the project. The planning permission for the tower was extended in 2004, giving the developers more time until December 2010.
A New Look for the V Building
Because of all the problems, a completely new plan for the area was created. A company called Multiplex was chosen to build the tower.
Designing the New Tower
In 2006, a new overall plan was shown, but it didn't give many details about each building. A model of the tower was included, but its exact shape wasn't clear. It was first described as looking "squeezed in the middle," creating two bulges.
News articles in 2006 suggested the tower would be 175 metres (about 574 feet) tall. The Civil Aviation Authority (who manage air traffic) said this height would be fine. In September 2006, it was announced that the tower would be the first part of the development to be built.
On February 12, 2007, the developers were given a 250-year lease on the land by Birmingham City Council. This meant they had a very long time to use the land.
The Design is Revealed
The first real look at the tower's design came from a model-making website. It showed a model of the building that was made for a big property show in Cannes, France. The design was different from the "squeezed" idea. Instead, it featured a clear 'V' shape rising from the bottom.
The tower was officially shown at the MIPIM show in Cannes in March 2007. Its name was changed from Arena Central Tower to V Building to highlight its 'V' shape. At this time, it was said to have 50 storeys and be 150 metres (about 492 feet) tall.
The detailed plans for the tower were sent to the Birmingham City Council on June 13, 2007. The plans included changes to the overall layout of the site. The council approved the tower very quickly, in just two minutes, on October 4, 2007. Construction was expected to start in early 2008 and finish by 2013.
Inside the V Building
The design of the tower changed slightly after it was first shown. The outside was planned to be a mix of materials with bars across the windows, but later designs showed a brighter look.
The height of the tower was eventually planned to be 147 metres (about 482 feet) to the roof, even though it was once planned to be 175 metres. This change happened because a nearby hotel, Crowne Plaza, decided not to move into the new tower.
At street level, there was going to be a public plaza area. The first two floors were planned to be very tall, holding a restaurant and a lounge for residents. Below ground, there would have been a two-storey car park.
The V Building was designed to have 706 apartment units. Some of these would have been "serviced suites," like hotel rooms but for longer stays. Residents would have had their own special entrance to the building, leading to a reading room and a lounge. There was also going to be a large lobby for the public, giving access to three restaurants and a "sky bar" on the top floor. This sky bar would have been three storeys tall and included a public viewing platform, offering amazing views of the city.
