Digbeth Hood, UK

The arrival of HS2 and its increased connectivity to London and the rest of the country promises further transformation and growth. This growth must be absorbed but sheared  in order to anticipate the major economical protagonists of the area‘s development. Our masterplan enables new connections and provides appropriate density with a diverse mix of vibrant uses. The intersection of river, Grand Union Canal and railway viaducts, interlaced with the adjacent dismissed old industrial brick warehouses and factories offers a rich multilayered preliminary basis for developing a new residential neighborhood. Not only its fabric and inherent qualities but especially its location constitutes the prerequisite for an urban animated residential district close to the retail and commercial core of the city and to the national railway system, to develop. The site includes large open spaces used as carparkings, a waste deposit transfer station, a variety of light industrial sheds and storages, as well as an emerging art and cultural scene along the canal west side and around the Custard Factory and a glimpse of a social vibrancy between the two viaducts. Our masterplan will begin to spread starting from these already spontaneously enhanced and lively areas. Our goal is to take advantage of the existing in terms of fabric, atmosphere, social communities, industrial heritage and legacy.

The major welfare and public interventions are meant to accelerate Digbeth‘s social environment and economical growth  proceeding simultaneously with the development of the residential buildings. The masterplan provides more than 5000 new homes and its realization involves different stakeholders, from the future residents to private investors, from the State to the Birmingham City Council. A careful balance is struck between creating value and identity, providing new housing for a growing market and preserving the existing character of the area and its legacy.