City South Campus
Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| Title: | City South Campus, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK |
| Markets: | Education |
| Client: | Birmingham City University (BCU) |
| Services: | Landscape architecture |
| Region: | United Kingdom |
| Date: | 2017 |
A new high-quality green campus for Birmingham City University’s City South Campus. To meet the high standard of design and delivery, this £41 million development has required a sensitive and ecologically focused design response.
The Birmingham City University (South Campus) is located in Edgbaston and is home to the universities Health, Social Care and Sports courses. Completed in 2006, Gillespies were the project landscape architect for a £30 million refurbishment of the Seacole Building, which won a Built-in Quality award from Birmingham City Council, and more recently are collaborating with Sheppard Robson Architects and contractor BAM to deliver the £41 million expansion of the University’s City South Campus which opens in 2017.
Located in a Conservation area that comprises a variety of mature trees, the landscape design proposals for the new City South Campus were carefully designed to emphasise, compliment and assimilate the proposed built form into the local context whilst responding to the on-site constraints. By complimenting retained areas of mature vegetation with proposed planting, grass/wildflower seeded areas and an attenuation pond, the scheme provides multi-layered benefits for both people and wildlife, enhances biodiversity, establishes new habitats and creates places where people can connect with their natural environment.
By sympathetically integrating new and existing built form, the new landscape creates a sequence of attractive, high quality and safe green spaces that provide opportunities for learning, recreation, play and social interaction. Providing a robust and legible setting for pedestrian and vehicular access has created a strong sense of place, providing the student and academic community with a stimulating and inspiring campus landscape.
Exceeding client expectations, the project has met BIM level 2 accredited requirements.
