Report - Birmingham Central Library, Birmingham - March 2015

[WhoDerpsWins]

Visited with Seffy. (And Monkey during the night before)

I have to thank Seffy for proposing to have a look at this one as he knew it was closed and in the process of being demo'd in the near future. We scoped this out on an evening and was surprised how straight forward it was. In fact I'm surprised that this hasn't been done before. I can't find any reports online. Me and Seffy then went the next day for some day time shots. We had no issue again and got to see it properly. Being a fan of brutalist architecture I loved it. It's a huge fortress like building that despite being stripped for the most part was very fun to explore. There is very busy walkway that leads right through the middle of it. But people rarely look up.

History:

Birmingham Central Library opened in January 1974 – designed by Birmingham architect John Madin in the ‘Brutalist’ style – and was Europe’s largest non-national library.

The structure was once criticised by Prince Charles as “looking more like a place for burning books, than keeping them” but in recent years campaigners failed to acquire listed status to protect it from demolition.

The library was cited as the largest non-national library in Europe, and a powerful example of British Brutalism. It is composed of two parts: an extroverted three storey lending library, curving out into Chamberlain Square; and the larger eight storey reference section forming a bold inverted ziggurat, one of only two such examples in the world (the other being Boston City Hall). The concrete planes float above pillars now encased in glass, lending the top-heavy shape an improbable weightlessness. The vast interior spaces are low-ceilinged and cool, untouched by direct sunlight. The Central Library is the most notable component of Paradise Circus, a complex of tired concrete and glass buildings characterised by rough sleepers and graffiti; secret squares, dead ends, and grimy passageways.

It closed in June 2013 due to the construction of the newer Library of Birmingham.

Thanks for looking.​

 

[Oxygen Thief]

Totally nice work. A first I think, and also surprised it hasn't been done before.

 

[Bertie Bollockbrains]

Well done mate.. myself and the wife were looking at this saturday afternoon trying to figure a way in.

 

[Lenston]

Pretty cool that mate, a good find for sure

 

[Punk]

Cracking stuff

 

[urblex]

Nice snaps, certainly does look like a fun explore. Distinct lack of books for a library though, hope they're still 'in use' somewhere...

 

[jdotn15]

good Shots btw

 

[WhoDerpsWins]

Nice snaps, certainly does look like a fun explore. Distinct lack of books for a library though, hope they're still 'in use' somewhere...

I only found one. They all got moved to the newly built library nearby.

 

[soylent green]

Nicely done mate and was good to meet up again last Saturday

 

[Will Knot]

Great stuff, nice pics and report

 

[Gone]

I'm sat right in front of one of those right now, no wonder they left it behind. Diggin' this report also.

 

[WhoDerpsWins]

I'm sat right in front of one of those right now, no wonder they left it behind. Diggin' this report also.

:laugh . Is it a microfiche reader by the way? That's my assumption of what it was.

 

[se7en45]

Fantastic shots, and what a place!

Vast open spaces, and those shots of the balcony really showcase the engineering of this building.

I thought the place was in the process of being demolished. Has it been postponed?

 

[Simon J Sanigarr]

that's one cool library!!

 

[Naginii]

Really good pics, nice work