Hammerson has revealed plans to turn the former John Lewis store at Birmingham’s Grand Central shopping centre into a 200,000 sq ft office called the Drum.
Hammerson has brought in Make Architects to draw up fresh plans for the four-storey shopping centre, which has been empty for nearly three years.
The application was submitted on Friday.
The name comes from the shape of the building, which Hammerson hopes will set a new benchmark for city centre workplace, incorporating the best levels of amenity, connectivity and ESG.
The redesign will extend the former department store’s atrium through all the four floors to include a sweeping communal entrance that widens as it rises, drawing daylight into the heart of the space. It will also lead to a new rooftop garden lounge. Green walls on each level will give the appearance of the garden spilling back down through the building.
Harry Badham, Hammerson’s chief development and asset repositioning officer, said: “This project is the next step in Hammerson’s vision to transform our Birmingham estate, creating a truly multi-use asset that thrives due to its relevance and diversity.
“Inspired by the 15-minute city concept, Drum is also an original and highly important evolution of workplaces, built on the principles of connectivity, amenities and sustainability. It will bring to Birmingham a new type of workspace that meets the requirements post-pandemic of established and start-up businesses, creating a new world-class environment at this key national interchange and gateway to the UK’s fastest-growing city.”
As part of the proposals, the 40,000 sq ft ground floor will be repurposed as a combined hospitality space with a restaurant, bar and food market. There will also be space for a premium grocery store, gym, wellbeing amenities, flexible events space, and cycle parking.
Make founding partner Ken Shuttleworth said: “We have been creatively considering how we rethink big box retail within city centres to ensure we can enliven these key spaces and draw people back into the workplace by prioritising wellbeing and dynamism. We have applied this here so the design for Drum goes beyond a traditional workspace in every sense.”
The designs will reuse much of the former department store’s structure. By refurbishing rather than developing a new building, Hammerson hopes to save approximately 14,000 tonnes of CO2.
Hammerson and Make are targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, an EPC A rating, a Gold WELL Building standard and WiredScore Platinum rating, creating a 2030 LETI Band A-compliant development.
If plans are approved, work will begin later this year, with the potential for completion in 2025.
Cushman & Wakefield represent Hammerson for office lettings; while Bruce Gillingham Pollard handle hospitality and leisure lettings within Drum.
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