The New Bullring

Public Space as a focus for events

The New Bullring, Birmingham opened in September 2003, was at its time one of the largest city centre retail regeneration schemes in Europe. It was also GROSS. MAX. first commercial led project. Our client represented by John Emery required an outdoor space that would act as a focus for special events within the redeveloped Bullring. The new scheme takes advantage of the natural slope by creating streets and open spaces on different levels. The development was an important addition in a sequence of newly created public spaces as part of Birmingham’s inner-city regeneration. The architecture of the commercial buildings is a mixture of the ordinary and the sublime with the new Selfridges store by Future Systems as iconic landmark. Opposite, and in sharp contrast, is the historic landmark of St Martin’s Church, which has gained a more prominent position at the bottom of a sloping square. St Martin’s Square is determined by its topography, the prominent position of St. Martin’s church and the curvilinear building façade of the retail development. A dramatic combination of cascading water walls, reflecting pools, steps, terraces and sculptural trees negotiates the approximately 8 metre level difference. The water feature forms a counterpoint to the new Selfridges building. Illuminated in slowly changing hues of pink, yellow and blue the water sculpture provides a visual spectacle for the cafés around the square. The sequence of different terraces as part of the cascading ensemble of steps and level areas allows for flexible and informal use while the overall configuration could also be utilized as amphitheater for occasional larger scale events and performances. The Rotunda Square at the top of Central Street is strategically located at a crossroads of routes. A position celebrated by a dramatic sculptural landmark of three gently swaying ‘light wands’ which match the height of St Martin’s Church spire. Internally lit the wands echo the lighting theme used in the water sculpture in St Martin’s Square to animate the structure at night.