Bullring is Europe’s largest retail-led City regeneration project, revitalising Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, through transforming its main shopping centre from a bleak 1960s concrete mall into a vibrant new retail environment which attracts visitors from all over the country.
The 11 ha site includes open spaces, covered streets and piazzas, restaurants, cafés, two new market places and a new three-storey shopping centre, anchored at each side by anchoring department stores. The Bullring development has improved public transport links, substantially increased car parking and led to a complete refurbishment of the award-winning Edwardian Moor Street Station.
All aspects of building services design
WSP’s integrated role embraced all aspects of building services design and included:
- infrastructure development and management
- retail delivery
- utilities diversions and the installation of new supplies.
Our commission encompassed both the client concept design and the detailed design for the Design and Build contractor and we were able to provide integrated solutions throughout the development process.
Strong UK resource to meet project demands
Service delivery was led and managed from our local Birmingham office, however, at times of significant peak demand the Group’s strong UK resource base enabled us to respond effectively, particularly during the design, handover and tenants’ fit-out stages.
The commitment applied by our team was demonstrated by our approach to commissioning where the major systems are traditionally commissioned prior to the centre opening to allow tenants’ individual systems to be tested during the last few weeks before public access can be granted .
WSP was able to provide teams of engineers on site day and night, commissioning and witnessing the electronics installations to ensure the best possible product was presented to the public at the spectacular opening ceremony.
The end result is a world class, award-winning project, completed early, on budget and with zero defects.
Bullring awards
International Council of Shopping Centres - Best International Retail Centre Award
British Council of Shopping Centres - Supreme Gold Award for the most outstanding shopping centre, for “setting a new benchmark in retail developments”
UK Town Planning Profession - Silver Jubilee Cup
National Railway Heritage - Conservation Award for “superb example of good practice in renovation, meeting all modern standards whilst preserving its heritage aspects”, for the conservation of Moor Street
Project information
Client: Birmingham Alliance (Hammerson; Land Securities and Henderson)
Project size: 110 000 sq m
Project value: £500M
Status: Opened September 2003