BBC BIRMINGHAM HEADQUARTERS
A new home for the BBC
The new BBC Birmingham headquarters is being designed by award-winning Birmingham based Glenn Howells Architects.
The Typhoo Tea Factory building will be partially demolished to provide 84,001 square feet of commercial space and parking for the BBC Birmingham headquarters. The original Bordesley Street façade will be preserved, and all external façades will include materials that complement the existing factory's palette and character of the surrounding area, respecting its development throughout the 20th century.
All BBC teams currently based at The Mailbox will relocate to Typhoo Wharf, including BBC Asian Network, BBC Newsbeat, as well as BBC Radio WM and Midlands Today. The new BBC headquarters will provide broadcasting teams with the best facilities and technology to connect with their audiences for decades to come.
The main visitors’ entrance will be accessed from Bordesley Street and a secondary entrance to the rear of the building will provide access to the new public square. Parking will be available on the ground floor, as well as motorcycle and cycle parking. The upper floors will provide studio space with bridge links between them and the second floor will be replaced, with the west elevation restored. A third floor and a rooftop extension will also be included as illustrated by the floor plans below.
Interventions
Delivering a sustainable development
We are aiming to deliver one of Birmingham’s first Net Zero Carbon in Construction buildings by repurposing an existing building, with a BREEAM rating of ‘Outstanding’. When complete, the BBC Birmingham will also be the BBC’s most sustainable centre.
The building will utilise the majority of its existing facades, structure and substructure, avoiding substantial carbon emissions. Locally sourced materials will be utilised wherever possible to minimise carbon emissions further. It will be highly insulated, make use of natural daylight and utilise air source heat pumps for heating and cooling, with heat recovery fresh air ventilation systems. Photovoltaic (PV) panels will be utilised to produce zero carbon energy and no fossil fuels are used in the heating or cooling systems.
