Summary : The Rotunda, located in Birmingham, was built as an office building with a bank and shops but has, since 2008, housed apartments. Designed by James Roberts, work first began on the Rotunda in 1960 and was completed to revised designs in 1964-5. It was constructed from reinforced concrete and clad in mosaic with a flat roof. The Rotunda was built as a twenty-four storey circular office tower on a single storey podium raised on pilotis with ground-floor shops to New Street. The concave form of the end of this podium contrasted with the circular tower. The podium had set-back vertical windows, set in fours along elevation to St Martin's Circus, while the tower had continuous bands of glazing contrasting with the smooth mosaic.The Rotunda site was redeveloped in 2005-8 by developers Glenn Howells Architects. Their redevelopment scheme converted the building to house 234 apartments. |
More information : Please see source for details. (1)
The Rotunda, including Lloyd's Bank and Bar St Martin, New Street, Birmingham. Built as an office building, including bank, and shops. Begun 1960, completed to revised designs 1964-5; architect James Roberts. Reinforced concrete, clad in mosaic; flat roof. Twenty-four storey circular office tower on single storey podium raised on pilotis and with ground-floor shops to New Street, bank entrance and Bar St Martin. The concave form of the end of this podium contrasts with the circular tower. The podium has set-back vertical windows, set in fours along elevation to St Martin's Circus, while the tower has continuous bands of glazing contrasting with the smooth mosaic. The interiors of the office tower, shops and Bar St Martin are not of special interest. The bank, however, features a full-height cement fondu mural by John Poole, set around the drum of the tower. (2)
The Rotunda site was redeveloped in 2005-8 by developers Urban Splash. Their redevelopment scheme converted the building to house 234 apartments. (3)
Listed. For the designation record of this site please see the National Heritage List for England. (4-5) |