Birmingham - the placemaking journey (with community for community)

Let's grow this city together! That's the message from Birmingham's community. We're here to oblige with a massive collaboration of community in tracking their place.


Birmingham is undergoing huge change and location by location, we are taking a look at a) the past, b) the present, and most importantly, c) the future.

Birmingham skyline as seen from Lickey Hills (Jan 2024) - photography by Daniel Sturley.

 

We will use imagery and, increasing, more innovative tech to show how places can change and how community can be engaged and involved in this change.

As this place-making and place-shaping partnership between business, the council and the community grows, we will use our collaborative space and our digital tools to open up features specific to each of the locations we cover.

Birmingham skyline as seen from Edgbaston Reservoir (Jan 2024).  Photography by Daniel Sturley.

 

103 Colmore Row

The NatWest Tower at 103 Colmore Row was built from 1973 to 1976 to the Brutalist designs of John Madin. But by the 2000s the building had been empty for quite some time. It was eventually demolished between 2015 and 2018. Construction of the new 103 Colmore Row began in 2019 and was completed in 2021. It opened in 2022.

103 Colmore Row103 Colmore Row in 2015 and 2022 from the Secret Garden, Library of Birmingham. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Paradise in the city centre

This is an area covering Chamberlain Square and Centenary Square and a major development in Birmingham.

Paradise Birmingham from 2013, 2017, 2020 and 2022. Discovery Terrace, Library of Birmingham view. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Paradise Circus (then)

View to Birmingham Central Library from the Skyline Viewpoint, Level 9 at the Library of Birmingham, September 2013. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Paradise (now)

Paradise Birmingham from the 18th floor balcony at 103 Colmore Row, Key to the City, July 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Paradise (Then and Now)

From Madin's brutalist Central Library and NatWest Tower, to the modern Paradise development and 103 Colmore Row.

ParadiseParadise Birmingham from the Skyline Viewpoint 2013 and 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Paradise (the future)

What does the future have in store.

 

Arena Central

In little under a decade, the Alpha Tower was joined by HSBC UK at One Centenary Square, along with HMRC at Three Arena Central. Behind there is also a Holiday Inn Express hotel. And the Birmingham Municipal Bank was redeveloped into The Exchange for the University of Birmingham.

Arena CentralArena Central from the Skyline Viewpoint 2013 and 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Broad Street in Westside

Broad Street from the Secret Garden, Library of Birmingham in 2013, preliminary Metro works in 2018,  a couple of days before and after the Metro extension opened on the 15th and 20th July 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Smithfield in Southside

Birmingham 2022 at Smithfield. View from 103 Colmore Row, Key to the City, June 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Victoria Square

During Key to the City, the View from 103 Colmore Row, 18th floor balcony. June, July and August 2022 in Victoria Square.

Victoria SquareVictoria Square, View from 103 Colmore Row, Key to the City from June to August 2022. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

City Centre Gardens

12 months difference, 13th August in 2021 (no heatwave) and the same day a year later in 2022 (heatwave and a drought). Not much rain in the summer shows how dry the grass is now.

City Centre GardensCity Centre Gardens on the 13th August in 2021 and 2022 from the Library of Birmingham, Discovery Terrace. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Cambridge Street pizza island

Maintained over the years by Cofton Nursery. This roundabout is behind The REP, and can be seen from above from the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham. Can see the changes when a heatwave is on.

Cambridge St islandCambridge Street island in 2013, 2018 and 2022, from the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham. Photography by Elliott Brown

Project dates

21 Jul 2022 - On-going

Passions

Construction & regeneration, People & community

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com

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Art; Culture & creativity
16 Aug 2022 - Elliott Brown
Inspiration

The World Reimagined - a painted globes trail around Birmingham City Centre

Post image

The World Reimagined is a trail of painted globes in Birmingham and other UK cities, from mid August to the end of October 2022. There is eight globes to find in Birmingham City Centre.

 

Related

The World Reimagined - a painted globes trail around Birmingham City Centre





The World Reimagined is a trail of painted globes in Birmingham and other UK cities, from mid August to the end of October 2022. There is eight globes to find in Birmingham City Centre.

 


The World Reimagined Birmingham trail

 

St Martin in the Bullring at St Martin's Square, Bullring

Spirit of the Diaspora by Pauline Bailey

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20%20St%20Martins%20Sq%2008082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Cathedral Square - corner of Temple Row and St Philip's Place

Dear Archives by Glory Samjolly

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20St%20Philips%20Pl%2008082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Unity by Gabriel Choto

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20St%20Philips%20Pl%2008082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Hippodrome Square at Hurst Street, Southside

A Code For A Better Future by Jess Perrin

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20Hippodrome%20Sq%2013082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

City Centre Gardens off Cambridge Street, Westside

Sacred Healing Wisdom by Gayani Ariyaratne

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20City%20Centre%20Gdns%2013082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The Golden Square near Vyse Street, Jewellery Quarter

The Love From Africa by Kassessa Gandara

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20JQ%2014082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Augusta Street at Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter

Voyage Of The Guineamen by Donna Newman

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20JQ%2014082022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

St Paul's Square, towards Ludgate Hill, Jewellery Quarter

Abstraction Be Damned by Tamika Galanis

dndimg alt="The World Reimagined" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWD%20JQ%2014082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Outside of the City Centre there is two more on the trail in Newtown. And there might be more inside of Millennium Point, the Library of Birmingham and at the Roundhouse.

 

Photography by Elliott Brown

Share  Connect with us
70 passion points
Construction & regeneration
27 Jul 2022 - Your Place Your Space - Support
Inspiration

Birmingham - Place-shaping, place-making and promotion of place

Post image

This post will explain how this unique collaboration and partnership with community allows people to share and follow their passion for their place and feel part of Birmingham's future

Related

Birmingham - Place-shaping, place-making and promotion of place





This post will explain how this unique collaboration and partnership with community allows people to share and follow their passion for their place and feel part of Birmingham's future


Place-shaping, place-making, promotion of place and the continued growth of a digitally engaged community as a legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

Our story

At the time the announcement was made that Birmingham would be hosting the Commonwealth Games, we were convinced about the value of engaging community in a huge collaboration for place-shaping, place-making and the promotion of place. See our video below created back in 2020.

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Select HERE for video.

Interest in collaborating was huge

Interest from community in getting involved in the largest digital collaboration (we believe) of any city was huge and soon we had people sending us content of the places and the Birmingham Passions they were keen to promote.

This content is now contained in 100s of features and displayed on multiple maps.

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Select HERE for Birmingham Gems video.

Promotion of place

Using this map, residents and visitors can explore the City and its Gems.

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Select HERE for Birmingham Gems map.

Making and Shaping of place

Using this map, residents can engage in the development and future of their place.

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Select HERE for Birmingham development map.

Productive place-shaping and creative conversations

This in turn has led to place-making creative conversations exploring the link between creativity, place and community.

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Select HERE for one of our Creative Conversations videos.

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Select HERE for another of our Creative Conversations videos.

More Gems featured by community

It has led to more and more Birmingham Gems being featured with creatives generating considerable interest across Community.

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Select HERE for another of our videos focussed on creativity.

More maps and more trails

The growth in the number of community contributors has led to many maps and trails being created for well-being and a promotion of specific passions.

Here’s one covering Parks and Open Spaces.

dndimg border="0" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/videos/videocovers/Parks.jpg" />

Select HERE for Parks and Open Spaces video.

Over 1.2 million views already

The digital platform we launched last year has now received almost 1,200,000 views, increasing by 15,000 every week.

Plans over the next two weeks during the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games, we knew would provide the added incentive for people to engage with their place. We have created a digitial space where they can do just this.

We also knew that this would lead to significant social and economic impact and this would reflect the digital reach that could be achieved by all the programmes the CG2022 team and BCC are supporting and funding.

The following shows the flexibility and adaptability of our maps so that Birmingham Gems and Birmingham Passions can be showcased alongside Commonwealth Games community-related events.

Here’s a map showing the baton relay stops and other events.

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Here we have added the passion of public art in and around the city.

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We can add rivers, canals and open spaces.

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We can add History as a passion.

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We can add modern architecture and classic architecture.

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This is the view if we include all passions and places of interest across the city.

dndimg border="0" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/videos/videocovers/cgm4.jpg" />

 

Resulting in .....

... a massive digital legacy for the city and its neighbourhoods following the Commonwealth Games with more people more aware of what the city offers.

..... a digital space populated by community for community.

..... place-making, place-shaping and promotion of place in practice.

Plans for the remainder of 2022

Engaged and connected digital neighbourhoods.

The plan post Commonwealth Games is to roll out digital spaces into the city’s neighbourhoods with the support of people passionate about their city. This could well provide a digital vehicle for volunteers and those people active in supporting the Games.

It will also open up digital skills exchanges whereby young people act as digital ambassadors in their community.

Such a venture will build on the awareness and inspiration created by the Be Bold Be Birmingham campaign.

Together with the help of community, work to show how a digital neighbourhood would look and function has already started and several of Bimingham’s councillors have expressed an interest in finding out how their neighbourhood could be involved.

Let’s connect

We appreciate that time is critical to make the most of the opportunities presented by the Games.

Let’s meet and discuss all the applications of a unique digital space.

Jonathan.Bostock@yourplaceyourspace.com

 

 

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