Design for Birmingham's Millennium Point unveiled

Architect Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners unveiled its design for Millennium Point, a £111.6 million innovation and technology centre, last week.

The scheme was given planning approval last month by Birmingham City Council, and work will begin early next year.

It will be funded primarily by a £50 million grant from the Millennium Commission, with other money coming from European Regional Development Funding, English Partnerships and the private sector.

The construction work will go out to tender in April 1999. Already on board are: Mace as project manager; Bucknall Austin as quantity surveyor; Buro Happold as structural engineer; and Ove Arup and Partners as services engineer.

Other consultants include: Buro Happold (highways); Sound Research Laboratories (acoustic); Montressor Partnerships (cladding); Edwards Gale (landscape architect); and FEDRA (fire safety).

Grimshaw architect Christopher Nash said: "I believe this scheme will help regenerate the Digbeth area of Birmingham by setting innovative and technological enterprise in a new urban and social hub."