Architect worked with Shedkm on central Birmingham island site
Glenn Howells Architects has completed a housing development for Urban Splash in a new Birmingham neighbourhood surrounded by canals.
Brick House, part of the 3ha first phase of the Port Loop masterplan, contains 37 three- and four-bed mews homes whose design is said to have been inspired by the town houses that line canals in European cities.
Glenn Howells Architects (GHA) took over the masterplanning of the 17ha man-made island from Maccreanor Lavington, where it is working with Grant Associates. Shedkm is reponsible for several of the other housing typologies, Town House, Mansion House and Row House.
Plans
Port Loop is a man-made island bounded by the Birmingham Canal and the Birmingham Canal Old Line 15 minutes’ walk from the city centre.
It is being developed in several phases by Urban Splash in partnership with Places for People and the Canals and River Trust (CRT) and will feature central Birmingham’s first new public green spaces in a decade.
Wider Port Loop site
GHA founder Glenn Howells said: “There’s no site quite like this in the city. Port Loop has an amazing ambition which we are delighted to be part of. An island neighbourhood with acres of green space and an almost suburban feel – yet closely wedded to the city centre.
“The developers have embraced the idea of retaining and restoring some of the original industrial buildings, repurposing them as community spaces. Alongside that, of course, there’s the juxtaposition of new architecture, from the existing modular homes on site from ShedKM through to the homes we’ve designed. The terraced house is our inspiration and it’s a typology which has long captivated our attentions thanks to its flexibility and clarity of design.”
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