Birmingham council and waterside regeneration specialist ISIS have teamed up to hold an urban design competition to transform the rundown Warwick Bar area into a mixed-use quarter.
The duo has approached 35 urban design practices to take part in the masterplanning project for the partnership’s vision for the area, which is within the city’s Eastside regeneration zone.
Warwick Bar covers 4.5 acres within Eastside and sits next to the Grand Union Canal.
The conservation area includes three listed buildings built in the 1840s and a listed canal warehouse.
The design practices will be asked for their ideas to regenerate the area into a vibrant quarter, while safeguarding redundant buildings and uncovering the hidden River Rea.
Sustainability will be the main focus of the design project.
The architecture centre for the West Midlands – Made – will co-ordinate the process.
Six practices will be shortlisted and their concepts will be judged in November.
Councillor Ken Hardeman, Birmingham council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “Warwick Bar has the potential to become a distinctive and sophisticated creative quarter, which will link to the existing regeneration of Eastside.
References: EGi News 11/08/05
