HS2 has revealed the newest updates to Birmingham Curzon Street Station in new designs intended to enhance accessibility and mitigate fire risk
HS2 has revealed new plans for upgrades to the landmark Birmingham Curzon Street Station, with designs intended to enhance accessibility, layout, and fire saftey.
A change in construction materials will improve maintenance and safety
The enhanced design for the station includes extra parking for bicycles, increased accessibility, more seating areas, easier access between platforms, rainfall capture in planted areas with landscaping, lighting, and paving, external ceramic tiling, a redesigned southern entrance.
Some of the construction materials have also been changed to reduce the required maintenance as well as improve construction efficiency. The roof will now be made of aluminium instead of timber to mitigate fire risk.
Birmingham Curzon Street Station will be an end point for HS2
The new design will be submitted to Birmingham City Council later this year.
Dave Lock, HS2’s project client director for Curzon Street Station, said: “We’re pleased that these design refinements mark a key step in enhancing the detailed features of Curzon Street Station, which will be an iconic gateway to Birmingham for future HS2 passengers.
“Once built, the station will strengthen Birmingham’s transport connections, support the regeneration of Eastside and Digbeth, and play a vital role in the long-term economic future of the West Midlands.”
Jason Millett, board member for Mace Dragados joint venture, said: “Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station will be the first new intercity terminus built in Britain since the 19th century. With 21st century design principles, the station will improve accessibility and spur the region’s economy forward.
“These refinements will enhance the station further, enable the use of future-proofed materials and will now be shared with the community as we gear up for work on the main station structure.”
Grimshaw partner, Neven Sidor, in charge of the architectural design said: “Any design for a major and complex public building needs to negotiate a journey from preliminary concept in the minds of a team of engineers and architects to a much more detailed set of technical drawings embraced by the teams of contractors that will build it.
“We are therefore pleased to announce that the original design vision has not only been maintained but has also been enhanced through the detailed design process. It is more robust, more efficient to build, and just as elegant.”
