Bristol Street Student Accomodation
Conversion of a locally listed Grade A Edwardian row of shops into student accommodation (Bristol Street Student Accommodation) on the upper three floors, with acoomodation management and laundry, and refurbished retail units below.
Locaction: Birmingham UK
Project completion: August 2013
Client: Goosh Estate & Birmingham Properties Group
The project involved the full refurbishment of a largley disused and dilapidated row of period shops. The design scope paid great attention to the restioration of the detailed terracotta façade, which included the complete replacement of the shop fronts with reproduction Edwardian version. One of the projects main goals was to secure the long term management of these buildings. The group of buildings hold great significance to the area as they are some of the last remaining 19th Century buildings along Bristol Street, the majority on the west side of being lost in the creation of the A38 underpass.
The shopfronts had extensively changed over the years from their original Edwardian design and shop signs did not follow any standard or rhythm. The project sort unification and standardisation to a more traditional arrangement. The original Edwardian elements that remained were used as inspiration for the sympathetic reinstatement of the shopfronts. The upper section of the elevation was retained and made good as necessary.
The project provided a positive and efficient re-use of a mostly vacant building wihtin the urban area, close to existing shops, facilities and public transport. Furthermore, by retaining the building, the embodied energy of the envelope is preserved, saving on greenhouse gas emissions for new building materials and transport.
