Passengers and the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands were shown visionary new designs for New Street station yesterday.

The striking concept designs, clad in shimmering, reflective metal, will create a bold, modern gateway to the city for the millions of people using the station each year.

The iconic design is the work of the renowned Foreign Office Architects.

Speaking at the launch event, Cllr Mike Whitby, Chairman of the New Street Gateway Funders' Board, said: "The Birmingham Gateway, which will support over 52m passengers a year, demands a world class architectural vision to embody the rebirth of New Street station.


"With the world looking on, this breathtaking design firmly places Birmingham on the international map for very high quality, daring design.

"Alejandro Zaera-Polo’s bold architecture symbolises Birmingham's arrival over the last few years as a globally relevant city looking to its future, as a connected international hub, to the advantage of citizen and investor alike."

Alejandro Zaera-Polo, Principal Architect for Foreign Office Architects, stated: "We were inspired by the movement of people and trains at New Street and the beauty of the skyline. Our concept reflects all these components. We are proud to work on such an important project and I look forward to being part of the integrated team which takes this vital scheme from concept to reality."

The station will be covered in reflective sheets of carefully crafted and finished metal and will incorporate three high technology digital displays which will make the entrances to New Street clear and easy to find. Passengers will also enjoy the benefits of a redesigned atrium area which will flood the station with light.

The £600 million Gateway project, a joint scheme between Birmingham City Council, Network Rail, Advantage West Midlands and Centro, will double passenger capacity.

(CD/JM)