<Gone but not forgotten, the Birmingham Central Library>Architecture Part I Dissertation

G O N E B U T N OT F O R G OT T E N The Birmingham Central Librar y

Fanzhe Sun 150201036

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A ck now l e d ge m e nt s Many thanks to my tutor Russell Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support and helpful feedback during the study process.

Con t en t

Preface

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Gone but not Forgotten, The Birmingham Central Library Introduction

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Object of Study Research Question and Context Methodology

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Part I The Context Timeline Birmingham City History Map: WWII Birmingham Blitz Bomb The Rebuilding of Post-war Birmingham Change of Urban Fabric around the Site â&#x20AC;&#x153;An urgent necessityâ&#x20AC;? and Paradise Circus project Change of Paradise Circus Site Routes to Paradise Circus Paradise Circus Site Forces

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Layout and Plans Circulation:Vertical and Horizental Form and Inspiration Elements and basic language Material Concourse and Public Space The Birmingham Central library: New and efficient

46-50 51-53 54-55 56 57 58-59 60

Decline: alteration of city and building Decline: the problems of building Politic influence and New Icon

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Conclusion

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Postscript Bibliography List of Illustration

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Part II Birmingham Cental Library Birmingham Central Library in the Context The Birmingham Central library: The Pioneer Requirements and Zones: Library Part Concept of Interconnection: Responding to Site Development and consideration

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P re f ac e

“Birmingham had one great architect John Madin and bit by bit we have knocked down all of Madin’s best buildings and left modest other things.”

------- Chris Smith, director of planning at Historic England 1 “The most interesting things have gone from central Birmingham. Now the story has gone.”

------- Chris Smith, director of planning at Historic England 2 ‘Could Birmingham Central Library be a “Euston Arch” moment for modernists? Undoubtedly so’ ------- Josh Allen 3 Birmingham should learn the lesson of the loss of the library and recognise the merits of the best buildings of the second half of the 20th century before this architectural period is entirely obliterated ---------- Birmingham Post news article 4

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1 Alison Stacey, 'Public will regret demolition of Central Library in 40 years', Birmingham live <https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/heritage-expert-claims-publicregret-12118279> [accessed 12 March 2018] para. 12 2. ibid. para.13 3 Josh Allen, ‘Birmingham is demolishing its brutalist buildings – just as they come back into fashion’, City Metric <www.citymetric.com/skylines/birmingham-demolishing-its-brutalist-publicbuildings>posted 24 February 2015 [accessed 12 March 2018)] para. 13 4 Mary Keating, ' Comment: Gone but not forgotten - but will Birmingham ever learn?', Birmingham Post < https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/commercial-property/comment-gonenot-forgotten-birmingham-14102208>[accessed 12 March 2018)] para. 20

"The city centre was losing its most interesting architecture, as the buildings of famed architect John Madin are bulldozed."

---------- Chris Smith, director of planning at Historic England 5 “The former Central Library is one of three Brutalist buildings in the UK identified by the World Monuments Fund in 2012 as the best of their kind.”

---------- A letter to the Birmingham Post 6 “I’m not listing that because I’m a democrat. The English don’t like Brutalism.”

------- Former architecture minister Margaret Hodge 7 “It looks more like a place for burning books than keeping them.”

----------Prince Charles during a visit 30 years ago 8

5.Alison Stacey, 'Public will regret demolition of Central Library in 40 years', para.10 6. The letter was signed by, among others, Alan Clawley, author and secretary of the Friends; Dr Barnabas Calder, from the University of Liverpool’s school of architecture; Oliver Wainwright, Guardian architecture and design correspondent; and the World Monuments Fund.

7.Alison Stacey, 'Public will regret' demolition of Central Library in 40 years’,para.6 8 Josh Allen, ‘Birmingham is demolishing its brutalist buildings – just as they come back into fashion’, para. 11

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G o n e b u t n o t Fo rg o t te n , Th e B ir m in g h a m C e n tral L i b ra ry Fanzhe S un

Intro du c t ion

The Birmingham central library, designed by John Madin Design Group, was constructed in Birmingham city centre from 1969 to 1973, opened in 1974 and demolished in 2016. It was a significant iconic architecture of modernism architecture movement, referred to as ‘brutalist' and a representive example of John Madin's design works. 9 In its short 41-years life, being rich and controversial, the library was regarded as “an urgent necessity” initially, followed by a long and tortuous process from motion to building during which it was influenced by post-war reconstruction style and replaced the valuable old Victorian library, then underwent the change and decline, finally triggered strong controversies to its preservation and demolition.

The Minister, Margaret Hodge thought: ‘I am not satisfied that this building is really of sufficient architectural or historic interest, so I’ve decided that it should not be listed, and I’m also issuing a certificate of immunity from listing...’.10As most post-second-world-war architecture, this building was also in an awkward position for preservation, representing one period of architecture type but being thought without no enough historical importance. The vast demolition erases the post-war architectural history and memory, forming a gap of architecture history in the city context. So the future generation might totally lose the architectures of that period when their values were accepted.

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9. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library' ,TRANSACTIONS OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS SOCIETY, 60 (2016), 95 10. Transcription of Ed Doolan show, BBC Radio WM, 22 November 2009.

Ob jec t of St u dy

The study aims to reconstruct the John Madin’s Birmingham central library and retrospect its whole narrative from “birth” to “death”.Various materials are collected, organized, analyzed and comparatively completely recorded in this paper to help to remember and better understand this disappear contentious monument within larger context.

Just because the demolished library could not be reconstructed in reality, its form, its idea, its spirit and the thinking behind it will be revived through the media of the book, together with the later decline period and reasons to inspire the thinking of its valuable aspects and imperfections in different time of the city.

Both written and visual output will ne presented. Practicing analytical diagram is also important for this dissertation, which will be used in urban analysis, mapping, spatial analysis and so on to illustrate the building more appropriately than only vague words. Two and three-dimensional diagrams will be both used, as well as photo and drawings chosen from archive to enhance the understanding of those who never and will have no chance to go and experience this building.

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Resea rc h Q u est ion a n d C on te x t

Research question: 1.Research and analyze the urban context and site forces of the library when it was designed and just constructed, to explain the characteristics that influenced the design; 2.Research and analyze the library and design thinking behind it when it was used efficiently; 3.Research and analyze the decline of the library related to the urban change; Context: other relative research Architecture Journal has articles in publication of 1974 and 2008, which helped me to start my study. The Birmingham City University also has relative research about this building and its preservation as well as the post-war Birmingham reconstruction, especially professor Peter Larkham’s and David Adams’, which are useful to understand the both building and city. Adams also had interview with John Madin in 2009, offsetting my deletion without chance to have a interview with John Madin (He died in 8 January 2012) to learn the architecture from its architect. Additionally, Alan Clawley published a book in 2015, called ‘Library story: a history of Birmingham Central Library’.

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Meth odolog y

Literature Several literatures were researched form both on-line databases and libraries.

Physical books in Library of Birmingham support much information.

Picture study Collecting pictures and maps are very important to architecture and city learning, helping both the study and presenting in this dissertation.

Fieldwork I walked from Broad Street beside centenary square to Victorial Square, passing the old central library site in this journey, then went along the New street to New Street station. It is a pity having no chance to visit the library. Anyhow this journey allowed me to experience the streets surrounding the site of central library with Birmingham architectural historical features from 17th century to contemporary, but the post-war iconic library is missing.

Diagram analysis Diagram analysis is the most important presenting method in this dissertation to help reader understand the building in city and the process of making diagram little by little also helped me to understand the building deeply.

Physical model: Simply make the faรงade by paper is an interesting process to understand its architecture language.

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Pa rt I

The Context

Timeline

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B irmin gh a m Ci t y

Diagram 1-1: Birmingham location in the United Kingdom

Diagram 1-2: Birmingham city map and river Rea

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England, standing on the River Rea. It is the largest and most populous British city outside the London.

As a “free city”, Birmingham has one of the strongest freethinking traditions of the western world.11 In the 17th century, Birmingham opened its door to those with independent faith deprived by some other cities where ecclesiastics influenced the work and the guilds controlled the law.12 The behavior going after the ingenuity rather than assets help itself enter a golden age of creation, inventiveness and wealth.13 That resulted in a wide need of its productions throughout the Europe and, more importantly, a more open altitude to different knowledge and new modes.

Therefore, this medium-size market town in the medieval period grew into international prominence advancing in science, technology and economic development during the 18th century at the heart of the Midlands Enlightenment and with the influence of following Industrial revolution.14 Furthermore, it was known as “ the first manufacturing town in the world” by 1791, practicing a wide variety of specialized and highly skilled trades and encouraging surpassing creativity and innovation.15 During the WWII from 1940 to 1943, German Luftwaffe bombed this city heavily in Birmingham Blitz, which promoted the reconstruction and redevelopment of it. 16

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11. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1141 12. ibid.

13. ibid.

14. Jenny Uglow, The Lunar Men: The Inventors of the Modern World 1730–1810, (London: Faber & Fabe,ISBN 0-571-26667-3, 2011,Retrieved 27 April 2014),pp.34-35 15. Eric Hopkins, Birmingham: The First Manufacturing Town in the World 1760–1840, ( London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 0-297-79473-6,1989), p.26 16. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library',100

Histo ry Ma p: WWII Bi r m in g h a m B litz B om b

Future site of central library Ruin

Diagram 2: Portion of bomb map of Birmingham showing central library site on paradise circus and surrounding area

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T he Re bu il di n g of Post- wa r B ir m in g h a m

Like other European cities, the central Birmingham before the World War II was occupied by a high-density grouping of factories and industrial workshop mixed with some businesses, offices and shops forming a largely medieval/late-medieval street pattern.17 The extensive bomb damage and substantial losses of life created an opportunity to build a more ordered and sanitary city centre as the reconstruction work of other bomb-damaged cities.18 By 1959, Birmingham was: ‘undergoing what is probably the biggest and boldest scheme of comprehensive redevelopment ever undertaken in this country. Radical urban renewal is taking place from the centre to the periphery … A new commercial centre worthy of the second city in the land is being created. A pattern of wide new streets is being imposed on the existing archaic road system …

Along the new frontages of the inner ring road, already under construction, developers are erecting buildings which will give to the principal shopping area something of the atmosphere of Regent Street while retaining the essential character of this thriving west midland city’ 19 Broadly speaking, the substantial planned and realized building projects during the mid-twentieth century could be explained as emblem of modernist-inspired architectural and planning ideologies, related to the general post-Second world war reconstruction. 20 The optimism of this ‘Fordist’ city was epitomized by the redevelopment work from 19541974 with strong belief in a progressive future and ‘belief in

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all things modern’. 21 In Birmingham, ‘everything about these ... redevelopment plans, the glossy brochures with idealized images, cried “new” and “clean”, “bright” and “modern”against medieval plans.22 As a result, the inner ring road, shopping ‘precincts’ (with offices and car parking above), a developed New street station (with shopping centre above) and various civic buildings like the central library were constructed as a modernist “totems”, intermingled with elements of the Victorian city.

Another key feature of redevelopment was of concession of pedestrian to the vehicular movement. 23 The pedestrian underpasses were largely used to bypass the barrier of Inner Ring Road, not excepting the site of central library.24 This way made pedestrian safe, but it also made Birmingham become a car-dominant city, which was critical by professional views: ‘Unhappily this looks like being the greatest traffic and town design tragedy yet to afflict an English city. There does not appear to have been any real traffic survey, or assessment of future needs ... There is no attempt to keep pedestrians away from the road except by means of ugly underpasses at junctions ’ 25 The characteristics of post-war architecture projects was considerably related to the case of the overall re-planning and reconstruction of post-war Birmingham city.

17. Roger Smith, Birmingham 1939-1970, ( London: Published for the Birmingham City Council by Oxford University Press, 1974), p. 464.

18. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library',100 19. Architect and Building News, ‘ The City of Birmingham rebuilds ‘, Architect and Building News , (1959), 470 20. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument?', 100 21 Andrew Higgott, Birmingham: building the modern city , (Modern City Revisited. Taylor & Francis, 2005), pp. 162-178.

22. Peter Shapely, 'The entrepreneurial city: the role of local government and city-centre redevelopment in post-war industrial English cities', Twentieth Century British History, 22(2010), 505 23. Peter J. Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 103 24. ibid.

25. Leslie Ginsburg, 'The Birmingham ring road: town planning or road building?' , Architects’ Journal , 130 (1959), 289-290

C h a ng e o f Urba n F a bric a rou n d th e S ite N

Diagram 3-1: Urban area surrounding the library site, 1930s map, before WWII and before the construction of library. Map shows a high-dense city center with medieval pattern.

Diagram 3-2: Urban area surrounding the library site, 1950s map, after WWII but before the construction of library. The city center was bombed with lots of ruins.

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Diagram 3-3: Urban area surrounding the library site, 1970s map, after the construction of library sitting on unfinished paradise circus project. The whole city was in reconstruction with feature of largely-used pedestrian underpasses in the inner ring roadi n post-war Birmingham.

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Diagram 4: Urban map show major roads of inner ring road and middle ring road, 1990s map. The dotted line shows the area of map in the left.

“An urgen t n ec essi ty ” a n d Pa radise C irc u s pro j e ct

The central library was one of the post-war projects but the proposal for this new central library was put forward much earlier than the Second World War. In 1930s, the public libraries committee and the city council appreciated the “an urgent necessity” for a new central library to substitute for the old Victorian library, because “the tremendous development in library activities and the variety of demands now made by readers in a city of over a million people’.26 However, the Victorian Library was not larger enough and also could not satisfy variety of demands for that period, so that finally the demolition happened in 1974 when the new library was open, 27 which caused dissatisfaction and argument as what happened on Birmingham central library in 21st century.

The further development of new library proposal was delayed by the war and post-war priorities for housing and reconstruction of bombed area until 1960s.28It was finally designed by John Madin as part of the civic center project, belonging to a larger development including a school of music, athletic institute, drama centre, offices, shops, public houses, car parks and a bus interchange on the site called Paradise Circus. 29

Photo1: Victorial libray located beside the new central library.

Timeline 2: Process from proposal to construction

Photo 2 : Model of the civic centre project, mid 1960s.

Madin’s library design is visible to centre right.

26. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 1140 27. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library', 104 28. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 1140 29. ibid.

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C ha ng e o f Pa radi se Circu s S ite

Old Victorian library Diagram 5-1: map shows site and surrounding area before it was re-planned and reconstructed. Color shows the location of old Victorian Library and future location of new central library (1950s)

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Diagram 5-2: map and surrounding area shows road being relayouted and site being vacant but the old Victorian library on paradise circus site was not demolished at that time. Dotted line show future location of new central library. (1960s)

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Diagram 5-3: map shows the reconstructed site and surrounding area where the new central library had been finished, while Victorian library was not demolished and only part of the paradise circus project was finished.(1970s,before 1974)

Diagram 5-4: map shows the whole paradise circus proposal and surrounding area. The old Victorian library was finally demolished after new library opened.

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R o utes to Pa radise Ci rc u s

Train station 1 Birmingham New Street 2 Birmingham Snow Hill 3 Birmingham Moor Street 4 Five Ways 5 Bordesley

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6 Duddeston 7 Jewellery Quarter

Diagram 6: map shows the routes to Paradise Circus located the central library and stations location. (middle ring road area)

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Photo 3 : Bull Ring Centre on July 6, 1963. It is also modernist post-war architecture near paradise circus

1 Birmingham New Street 2 Bull ring center 3 Birmingham Moor Street 4 St. Philip's Cathedral 5 Birmingham Snow Hill 6 St Chad's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) 7 St Paul's Church 8 Museum 9 International Convention Center 10 Council House: Museum and Art Gallery 11 Municipal Offices and Museum 12 Town Hall 13 Victoria Square 14 Chamberlain square Diagram 7 : map shows important buidings around the paradise circus in 1960s and routes access to paradise circus. (Inner ring road area)

15 Centenary Square

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Pa radi se Circ u s S ite Forc e s

The Paradise Circus located at the eastern end of Broad Street, which is a half-mile-perimeter roundabout in a junction of inner ring road in Birmingham city centre. 30 On the east of site located classical style architecture of 19th century and more recent civic architectures on the west. 31There are four main forces in this site influenced the design thinking: 1. Centenary Square: the public square on the north side of Broad Street was named in 1989 to commemorate the centenary Birmingham acquiring the city status.32 The Most important the feature on this square is the hall of Memory designed by S. N. Cooke and W. N. Twist, as a war memorial erected in 1922 by john Barnsley and his son to commemorate the 12,320 dead citizens in WWI.33 The war memorial and square pattern decided the symmetry of this larger and important square, which influenced the decision to design a symmetrical main part of new central library. Additionally, the exact location of library was influenced by the square to create a distinct view of the central section of library western faรงade following the extending central line of the square, emphasizing the urban-scale importance of this iconic building.

2. Chamberlain square: this public square is named after statesman and notable mayor of Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain, where located Chamberlain Memorial, the status of Joseph Priestley,James Watt and Thomas Attwood.34 The

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Chamberlain Memorial as the centerpiece of the square is in honor of the public service being given by Joseph Chamberlain, including a 20-meters-high memorial designed by John Henry Chamberlain and a memorial fountain unveiled in 10 October 1880,35 and the status were built or moved to the square after library was built. The existing square beside the site was chosen as the public space of the Central library.

These two forces almost decided the exact location.

3. Town Hall: it is a Grade I listed concert Hall and venue opened in1834 with classical style beside Victorian square.36 The distinct Roman architecture features did not influence the design of the library, as a post-second-world-war modernistinspired architecture. But the square plan pattern influenced the shape of design and the orientation and location of town hall affected the design strategy to make the library respond the northern faรงade of the town hall opposite, with the Chamberlain square between them.

4. Paradise circus Queensway: the circus road surrounded the site and separated the site with other areas. This feature forced the use of underpasses in rasied parts or bridges in sunken parts and thinking of corresponding strategies in design like high-level walkways to connect the site with other areas.

30. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 1140.

31. ibid.

32. Carl Chinn and Malcolm Dick, Birmingham: the workshop of the world , ( Liverpool University Press, ISBN 1781382476, 2016), pp.35-36.

33. ibid.

34. ibid. p. 46 35. ibid.

36. ibid. p.27

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Diagram 8 : plan of the site and surroundings shows site forces

Photo 4: aerial plan of the Paradise Circue Site

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Drawing 1: Chamberlain square, town hall and other surrounding buildings before the site was re-planned and reconstructed.

Drawing 2: Chamberlain square, town hall and other surrounding buildings after the site was reconstructed and library was built. Chamberlain square as public space of the library was also re-designed.

Diagram 9 : mapping view angle of two drawings

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Diagram 10: Bird view of Paradise Circus site

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Pa rt I I Bi rm i n g h a m Ce n t ral Libra ry

Photo 5: John Martin with his model of the whole Paradise Circus project.

Library is visible in the middle.

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Photo 6: John Martin before Central library and Chamberlain square

Bi r m ing ha m Cen t ral Li bra r y in th e C on te x t

Diagram 11: Birmingham centra library in context in 1970s, most surrounding paradise circus project had not been constructed

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T he Bi rmin gh a m C e n tral libra r y : Th e Pion e e r

The new central library was a pioneer attempting a new pattern of multiple-functional public library with immensely wider roles, rather than merely built a larger building with modern facilities replacing the old central library. 37 This pattern was fully accepted by the United States and Scandinavia but without any precedent in UK at that time. 38 The possibility for this attempt rooted in the freethinking tradition of this city.

Martin described the new library that “there was quite a difference between the old-fashioned library with its stacks of books all the way around … a library in my view should have been, and [it] is, a centre of learning as opposed to just a place where you went and rented out books’ . 39 As a challengeable new attempt, Martin had spent 6 years to research the precedents of the new type in American and Europe and ‘… learning from the mistakes that had been made in the past …” 40 So unsurprisingly it would be: “the first library in Western Europe to be designed as a complete cultural centre with...[many functions] under one roof … [on opening] it was the largest public library in Europe.” 41

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37. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1141 38. ibid.

39. John Madin, interviewed by David Adams in 2009,Birmingham.

40 .ibid.

41. Andrew Foster, Birmingham, (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005), p.77.

Photo 7: The pionner, the fantastic architecture

Requ iremen t s a nd Z on e s: L ibra r y Pa rt

The requirements for a new type of complex multiplefunctional public library should be considered at the beginning: First and foremost, the major problems formed was to provide two major aspects of library services in one building and the requirement and atmosphere of these two aspects are completely different: First is the central lending library, which should cater for the vast readers visiting the library in a short time to borrow the books, especially for the heavy pressure in the period of lunch time; Second is reference library, which is divided into nine departments including the Shakespeare Memorial Library, for an extensive range of reader including all types of students, research workers and average men.42 Most readers hope for an atmosphere conductive to study on account of their need for very long periods of study and stay.

Additionally, some specialist services were also required by

Diagram 12-1: three main functional zones, abstract 42. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1140 43. ibid.

44. ibid.

45. ibid.

the schedule, such as the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library, visual aids and the photocopying department.43 Administrative provisions were also one major consideration, which should satisfy the need of both central libraries themselves and the 35 existing branch libraries (or possible addition of others in later time) for administrative control and book provision. 44 Finally, according with alterations in the range of the public library services but adapting to requirements for the implementation of the Public Library Act 1964, a wider varieties of activities related to book use were conceived in the design, by means of exhibitions, lectures, films, recitals, group meeting and public cafĂŠ or bar. 45 Summarily, the basic design decision of library part could be delineated by three major functions: reference, lending and administration. The specialist services and additional functions for a cultural centre was dispersed and added in those three major zones.

Diagram 12-2: three main functional zones in final design.

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Con c e pt of In t erc on n e c tion : Re s pon din g to S i t e

Another consideration for design is main concept,related to site forces and urban context in this case.

The whole paradise circus development followed one concept, which is to place a pedestrian concourse at the ground level with buildings on to form a series of interconnected spaces even connecting the existing surrounding buildings and the bus interchange, service roads, and main plant rooms and car parks below, responding the feature of largely used underpasses. 46 The library was part of the interconnection.

This concept made upper library easily access to other buildings in paradise circus, the concourse link its public space - chamberlain square at ground level forming a road tunnel beneath for arrival of walking people from east and the bus interchange below integrated with the ring road network by service roads.

As for the reason of strategies of space beneath, Martin's statement explained: "The idea was that there were always these problems of how you got to the civic centre you see, so I designed this bus station underneath, so you got out of your bus and went up an escalator and you walked straight into the central library ... But they never used it â&#x20AC;&#x2122;.47 The bus interchange was vacant partly due to the wider issues related to bus routes management of the city. This strategy responded the car-dominant urban feature by achieving a easier arriving of visitors by car or bus as Madinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement if bus interchange was well used. But critically it also made the bus interchange and road tunnel dark and oppressive.

46. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1140.

47. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 107.

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Diagram 13-1: concept responding site adds new zones

Diagram 13-2: added lower zones in final design

Diagram 14: Interconnection in aerial view . green: lower bus interchange and road; pink: ground-level concourse and public space; yellow: high-level walk way.

Diagram 15-1: Upper buildings form a series of interconnected spaces in whole proposal designed by John Madin,.

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Photo 8 : Road tunnel below the ground-level deck connecting chamberlain square, seen from town hall.

Diagram 15-2: Building ground level interconnected with external public spaces and larger contex. Map shows design in 1970s when the other paradise circus projects were not built.

Diagram 15-3: lower first floor with main plants room and other service rooms

Diagram 15-4: lower second floor with bus interchange and car part connect roads

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Developmen t a n d c on side ration

Plan diagram

Chamber lain Square

a-1

b-1

a-3

b-2

town hall

Section diagram

a-2

a-1. As the location had been decided by site forces, two blocks were arranged around the Chamberlain Square with large one in paradise circus site (have more space for big one) and small one opposit the town hall. a-2. Responding the basic decision of three zones, the large one (green) was decided for reference library, which had the largest bulk to store almost one million books and support enough study space serving the whole city. The small one (pink) for both lending (lower zone) and administration (upper zone) as a more privete area. a-3. Repsonding the site and concept, the basic three zone for library were raised up to add a new zone for bus interchange, car parks and others connecting the roads. b-1.b-2. The reference block (green) was rised up for a concouse below; in b-2, both lending and administration zones (two pink squares) were splited into four zones: lowest was for the bright and open reference and commercial section with short stay, followed by public lending library with longer stay, more private offices and lending stack at top. The position was decided by privacy and the duration of the stay. 48 The second block for lending library and third for administration extended into concourse with L-shape instead of bige square like upper reference block, to make lower part lighter and create a higher concourse.

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c-1

d-1

e-1

c-2

d-2

e-2

Diagram 16: diagram series show development process

c-1,c-2. The detail floor shape and area as in plan well as length in section were decided for lending/adminstration block (pink). In c-1, The floors below the referen library were used to interlink other buildings in paradise circus. In c-2, floor number and area for reference library and lower ground floor were decided. The reference library with nine departments, one million book and study space serving whole city had size or complexity with no any precedent in 1960s. 49 d-1. The hollow square plan were adopted after trying many alternatives, in which, bookstores could be put anywhere they are needed freely, on the same level as the readers; 50 A curve facade was designed for lending and adminstration block, where located the main entrance to create welcome feeling by this shape. The curve facade shaped square and promoted the public space design thinking. d-2. Start to think of form of main part influenced by hollow square, with detail introduction in following section of form. e-1.e-2. Details were considered,like roof for a harmonious form, stair as tower and sunken beside stair tower as bound defining different spaces in form; vertical circualtion(red and draker red squares) were arranged in corners,which was detail analysised in following section of circuation.

48, Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1148 49, ibid.

50, ibid.

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La yo ut a n d Pl a n s

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47

48

49

50

Circ u lat ion : Vertic al a n d Horize n tal

For a flexible plan idea, most horizontal circulation space was not clearly defined and completely separated from functional space in both reference and lending. Separated circulation only existed in yellow color as diagram shows for access to service rooms, office areas and transition area between reference and lending blocks.

In vertical circulation, the use of escalators as main circulation method was the key for this buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success at that age. Because it could glide through a series of volumes smoothly and quietly, while lifts would have always compartmented the areas unpleasantly and stairs would have been exhausting and noisy. 51 In this way, the impression of interior journey would be of one space flowing into another in a depth of the huge structure, giving time for experience the spaces and adjusting the mental before working there.52 That was a rare and fresh method to complete the interior experience at that age.53 However, stair was still necessary for some special or emergency circumstances. In design, five long-distance stairs running through the whole block were arranged logically in four corners of the reference library and right tower of lending block for good communication and an easier control, with some other short-distance stairs.

Photo 9: reception arae and escalator journey in a depth of the huge structure

Visitors could accessed to the building from both entrance in lending block and concourse stairs, while lending library entrance were main one leading visitors to escalators.

Diagram 17: circulation in section 51, Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1148 52, ibid.

53, ibid.

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Circula ti on : Hori zen tal 7

Moving routes

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space for circulation

0

3

6

01

2

5

02

1

4

Diagram 18: horizental circulations in each floor: circulations were not clrarly separated from functional rooms in both library blocks.

Circula ti on : Vert i c al 7

Long-distance stair

Main circulation: escalators

Short-distance stair

Entrance

0

3

6

01

2

5

02

1

4

Diagram 19: relationship of all vertical circulations: main escalator journeys, four main stairs placed in reference block elegantly, lending stair tower and others

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Fo rm a n d In spi ration

The meaning, size, location and function made this building has significant urban impact, being regarded as an urban landmark erected in the city center. So the design consideration of its form should be formal and iconic.

The library had two main parts visually in form, which were a huge reference block and a smaller lending block.

The reference library had the largest bulk and obvious visual impact, so that the most significant visual form should be achieved by this part. 54 A cantilevered design was adopted where each floor is smaller than the one above, leading to a distinctive inverted ziggurat form. 55 Similar form also appeared in in the monumental Boston City Hall (also threatened with demolition). But the design team did not know this in the design stage. 56Actually, the design was inspired by Leslie Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library; Lasdunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal College of Physicians and Le Corbusierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monastery of La Tourette. 57 The cantilever in each floor created minimal external windows with floor above as shelter and lit via internal atrium as a logical response to functional needs, especially to protect books from the damage of direct sunlight .58 And the regular cantilever pattern in this form created simple, symmetrical and formal visual influence. Additionally, the middle hollow in plan producing an inner courtyard through the whole block and the lifting structure up to 11-meters high in the air created void in this huge solid to make vast bulk acceptable. 59

54

54. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1148.

55. ibid.

56. Andrew Foster, Birmingham, p.78 57. ibid.

58. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 107.

59 Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1148.

Drawing 3: Boston City Hall design by Kallmann, McKinnell and Knowles in 1962

Drawing 4: Birmingham central library, inverted ziggurat.

Inspi rat i on

Photo 10-1,10-2 : Leslie Martin’s library at St Cross, Oxford

Photo 11-1,11-2: Lasdun’s Royal College of Physicians

Photo 12-1, 12-2: Le Corbusier’s monastery of La Tourette

55

Ele men t s a n d bas ic la n g u a g e

The library as a part the civic centre project would be unified with a series of civic buildings. So design language followed the popular modernist style and post-war bight and new preference in city reconstruction , which made this building become part of the city context representing the memorial of that period. Vertical and horizontal elements constituted the whole external form, interior and details corresponding the modernism language.

Photo 13: external horizental and vertical language defined by structure

56

Photo 14: horizental and vertical language in detail, cruciform column and ceiling

Mat erial

Photo 15: concrete cladding on inverted ziggurat reference library

Photo 16: concrete cladding on lending library and concrete column

Madin’s original design was of a building cladded in Portland stone or travertine marble for a formal appearance, but it was altered to pre-concrete cladding with stone aggregate for cost reasons. 60 ‘… when we were at the final stages of design, Mr Alan Maudsley, the city architect, convinced the Council that he could make arrangements for the cladding … they gave him permission to go ahead and organize [it] which was all against our wishes, but being as I was only the architect and the City Council made the decisions, they gave Maudsley permission to go ahead …’. 61 The alternative material was criticized that ‘…has made this entirely humane building seem like some malevolent bunker’ and described the library like a ‘concrete monstrosity’, becoming the largest faulty of this library. 62 But the massive bulk and "raw" feeling of concrete made it classified into brutalist style, as a popular style from the 1950s to the 1970s, and it is a typicial representation of brutalist style.

60. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 107.

61. John Madin, interviewed by David Adams in 2009, Birmingham.

62. Owen Hatherley, A New Kind of Bleak: Journeys Through Urban Britain, (London, 2012), p.102.

57

Co n c ou rse a n d Pu blic S pac e

The lifting structure and middle hollow created a ground-level concourse connecting middle courtyard where Madin designed a landscape garden being replete with water features like fountains. But the water feature in reality became unattractive and boring disappointedly. The planting was even not put into effect because there was no room for enough soil and planting landscape compromised to little concrete tubs for limited short vegetation. 63 The planting could be done on large long concrete container but that was expensive and demanding in maintenance, which would not be accepted by the council at that time as they refused the original marble cladding. 64 It is regretful because so much success in some large buildings relies on great foliage of wall junctions or floorscape and the plants could also help prevent the wind from blowing into the concourse for a better experience quality, which could be also achieved by enclosure but the eye would not get rest in this way.

Diagram 21: concourse and middle atrium being open to exterior public space;

58

63. Robert Ribet, 'Birmingham central library', 1154 64. ibid.

Diagram 22: ground-level concourse plan shows fountains, interior space and exterior

Drawing 5: Lanscape garden with water feature in Martin's design

Diagram 23: view angle of drawing

Photo 17: empty and unatractive concourse in reality.

The concourse was open to external public spaces, one of which on the east was Chamberlain Square that was also encircled by curve-shaped lending library. The sweeping curve of steps following the shape of lending library forms an amphitheater for celebrating public events, for example, the annual Birmingham Christmas Craft Fair and BBC big screen playing.

Photo 18: sweeping curve of steps

as an amphitheater

Photo 19: public events in Chamberlain square before library

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T he Bi rmin gh a m C e n tral libra r y : Ne w a n d e f f i ci e nt

The library was welcomed overall when it was constructed and opened. Professional press at that time generally received the new central library very well, especially its impeccable form, new facilities, working and circulation spaces. 65 Students also welcomed the new library in general, even if they still could not forgot its predecessor. 66 And many of students and researchers as main users still loved this building in its later decline period.

Drawing 6: everyday life in reference library

"As a student in the mid-1990s [the] Central Library came to be a home from home. I spent many an hour sat in its belly reading, writing, learning, drawing ... It was a wonderful place for a bibliophile; you could smell the sweet crispy aroma of books as old as the written word ... Steal energy from the other tired students sat opposite and smile at the homeless people who made reading a copy of The Guardian 67 into an all-day activity. Everyone was welcome ...".

Student comment Photo 20 : everyday life in lending library

60

65. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 107.

66. ibid.

67. Althea Patterson, 'Opinion: brutalising brummie Brutalism', Birmingham Review <birminghamreview.net/opinion-brutalising-brummie-brutalism> posted16 January 2014 [accessed 26 March 2018] para. 12.

Diagram 24: Bird biew of Birmingham central library after surrounding buildings and bridge being constructed

61

Dec li n e: alt erat ion of c ity a n d bu ildin g From the time a building is completed, its destruction begins’. 68

Every iconic architecture roots in its city. The decline of the building was closely related to the city, as its birth was based on the city’s reconstruction background.

Several decades later, the Inner ring road, as a key postsecond-world-war reconstruction project, was criticized because it formed a “concrete collar” around the city core tightly, blocking the extension of the city center commercial floorscape. 69 So, many post-second-world-war projects along the ring road with concrete material, also including some other buildings somewhere else, were faced with demolition or alteration, for example, the modernist 1964 Bull Ring shopping center was demolished in 2000, derided by public from mid1980s and some offices building as well as the shopping center above the New Street Station were re-cladded or reshaped to changed their appearance visually for contemporary taste.70 This negative situation in wider programme illustrated a general altitude, which influenced the public altitude towards the library as the same kind.

Additionally, largely used pedestrian underpasses had been criticized when it was just planned but it was still constructed.

Later reconstruction modified this disadvantage and several sections of the roads were rebuilt to lower some sections and remove the pedestrian underground tunnels to make the movement across the carriageways happen on bright ground level. 71This change reflected a different altitude towards the new relationship between the vehicular and pedestrian.72 The

62

paradise circus as an important junction of inner ring road sunken western part of paradise circus Queensway with underpass there to build a new ground-level bridge over it in 1988–89, which consisted the most important part of pedestrian-friendly network connecting the Centenary Square with the City core, improving the western public square before the library. 73 This change make the library became a key node in city centre area with huge commercial value on that groundlevel pedestrian space and library site.74 As a result, the vacant concourse was glaze, installed the glass roof and fitted large revolving doors by the City Architect’s Department in 1989– 91and transformed into an commercial area, called paradise forum, with a series of single-storey stores and cafes. 75 Madin was scathing about its alteration: ‘Well, while we’re talking about [the Central Library] basically what the [city authorities] have now done to the central civic precinct which is beneath the library is disgraceful! I designed the library as a civic square with fountains and waterfalls; this [has] been closed off. The whole civic square has been filled with fast food, in the very heart of the civic centre of Birmingham!’ 76 On the surface, this alteration improved the popularity of this building, but, as a library, this change undoubtedly suggested its decline. The increasing commercial value resulted in the decline and promoted its demolition for a commercial project in the future.

68 F.Gutheim, ‘The Philadelphia Saving Fund Building Society: a re-appraisal’, Architectural Record, 106 (1949), 92.

69. Birmingham City Council, Memorandum (WTC16), in House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs, Report (London, 2001). pp.35 70 , 71 .Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 108 72. ibid. 108-111 73, 74 75, ibid. 111 76. Madin, interviewed by David Adams in 2009, Birmingham.

Photo 21: Ground-level bridge over the sunken Queensway linking Centenary Square and Paradise forum as commercial area at library ground level

Photo 22: Interior of Paradise Forum, which was ground-level concourse of library.

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The appearance of the pedestrian bridge over the road linked the Centenary Square, central library site and a more historical area with council house, town hall and Chamberlain Square as a clear line, suggesting the possibility of a “long view” forming “a grant vista from west end century square to the newly refurbished Grade I- listed town hall built in 1834” that had been visually separated. 77 Council leader Mike Whitby use this reason as statement to support the demolition later, describing the building a “blockage” to interrupt the council’s city development plans. 78 The city development changed the meaning of library site and in some views, putting a bulk in this location seemed to become not convinced as before.

Diagram 25: Bridge built a link,, emphasising a long view. Libray was thought as a blockage which is against its original design strategy to put it at this location.

77, Richard Vaughan, 'Birmingham's brutalist library to be demolished', The Architects'Journal , 228(2008), 12.

78, ibid.

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Decli n e: t h e proble m of bu ildin g

The problem this library had in its design became the reasons of its decline later. Those â&#x20AC;&#x153;scarsâ&#x20AC;? of unused underground bus interchange, depressive road tunnels, vacant concourse and criticized concrete appearance, firstly being covered by its advanced theory and modern facilities when it was just open, were noticed later when those advantages became common.

Fast developments of city and architecture decreased the value of library as a pioneer and the only case at the time when it was just constructed and time also reduced peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm.

The lack of maintenance was another reason: the concrete cladding stained quickly because of the damp climate in UK, promoting a concrete condition survey (1999) and a report on concrete panel failure(2004); escalator failed frequently as main circulation method, being also narrow for users in later time. 79 Bad maintenance intensified negative altitude of council and public.

Photo 23: Bad maintaince, stained concrete and dirty corner.

79, Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 111.

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Politic influ en c e a n d Ne w Ic on

There is a long sought to reposition the city internationally

by Birmingham city managers for those important events and projects, as the unsuccessful bid in 2002 for 2008 European Capital of Culture.80 So the city would need new cultural facilities and new iconic to represent the spirit of contemporary Birmingham, because the grey concrete brutalism style was not suit for a contemporary city in their mind.

The suggestion of new” education quarter” in 2002 firstly implied the demolition of John Madin’s central library clearly, with the site being sold for commercial development. 81 That was controversial but the design and construction of new library in Centenary Square, as the follow-up of new cultural facilities and new “education quarter” was a significant factor promoting the demotion of old library.

Finally, time witnessed the birth of the new iconic building and death of the old one.

66

80. T. Hall and P.Hubbard, ‘“Birmingham needs you. You need Birmingham”: cities as actors and actors in cities’, in P. J. Larkham and M. P. Conzen, eds, Shapers of Urban Form: Explorations in Morphological Agency (New York, 2014).

81. Peter J.Larkham and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? ', 112

Timeline 3 : reason and process for a new icon

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Co ncl u sion

Birmingham central library, a pioneer erected in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;freeâ&#x20AC;? city, came into the world while the city was reconstructed with hope to the new life, pursuing new style and theory being popular at that time. The building rooted in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s style, urban texture and site features. It was praised and popular while it also had many problems leading to its decline, even if many of them were caused by decision of council and city issues. It did not escaped from the demotion finally as many other brutalism architecture due to the change of the urban and site. The story of the library was narrated and building was analyzed in previous two parts.

A architecture could not suit the constant developing context and constant changing need permanently. And a design could also not always keep fresh and special even if it had leading role at the beginning as the following cases would learn from and surpass it. But a well-considered design represented the characteristics and memory of one period especially an iconic building, with impact as a pioneer to that period. Therefore, criteria for preservation or demolition is hard to be defined clearly, even the existing list criteria could not escaped from personal understanding.

The struggling decision between preservation and demolition happened more than one time on the timeline of this site.

The victorian library before central library was evaluated as a valuable architecture with precious memory, but the central library as the representation of following period replaced it, which was substituted by new Library of Birmingham expressing the contemporary idea. But the previous lesson could not make them protect the central library until its value would be accepted. It was gone but this study was another types of reconstruction of this architecture to avoid forgetting as well as review its value and the relationship of building with wide context.

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Po s t s cri p t When this building was starting its demolition, I just finished my first-year architecture study in UK and started to pay attention on architecture news. I like the form at the first eye after simple learning to it and feel regretted for its demotion.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I chose this as my study topic later, and start to learn about the Birmingham city.

With the study going, I could know this architecture more deeply, with more understanding why it was hated or loved instead of the simple impression of its interesting form. I also know more about that typical post-war period and the relationship of building and city. That help my later design and architecture study a lot. But it is a great pity that word account requirement limited the discussion.

69

B ibl iog ra ph y

Allen, Josh, ‘Birmingham is demolishing its brutalist buildings – just as they come back into fashion’, City Metric <www.citymetric.com/skylines/birmingham-demolishing-its-brutalistpublic-buildings>posted 24 February 2015 [accessed 12 March 2018) Architect and Building News, ‘ The City of Birmingham rebuilds ‘, Architect and Building News , (1959), 470 Birmingham City Council, Memorandum (WTC16), in House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs, Report (London, 2001) Chinn, Carl and Malcolm Dick, Birmingham: the workshop of the world, ( Liverpool University Press, ISBN 1781382476, 2016) Foster, Andrew, Birmingham , (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005) Ginsburg, L., 'The Birmingham ring road: town planning or road building?' , Architects’ Journal , 130 (1959), 288-294.

Gutheim, F., ‘The Philadelphia Saving Fund Building Society: a re-appraisal’, Architectural Record , 106 (1949), 60-120 Hall , T. and P. Hubbard, ‘“Birmingham needs you. You need Birmingham”: cities as actors and actors in cities’, in P. J. Larkham and M. P. Conzen, eds, Shapers of Urban Form: Explorations in Morphological Agency , (New York, 2014).

Hatherley, Owen, A New Kind of Bleak: Journeys Through Urban Britain , (London, 2012) Higgott, Andrew, Birmingham: building the modern city, (Modern City Revisited. Taylor & Francis, 2005) Hopkins, Eric, Birmingham: The First Manufacturing Town in the World 1760–1840 , (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 0-297-79473-6,1989) Jenny, Uglow, The Lunar Men: The Inventors of the Modern World 1730–1810 , (London: Faber & Fabe, ISBN 0-571-26667-3, 2011, Retrieved 27 April 2014) John Madin, interviewed by David Adams in 2009,Birmingham.

Keating, Mary, 'Comment: Gone but not forgotten - but will Birmingham ever learn?', Birmingham Post < https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/commercial-property/ comment-gone-not-forgotten-birmingham-14102208>[accessed 12 March 2018]

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.Larkham, P. J. and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library' ,TRANSACTIONS OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS SOCIETY, 60 (2016), 94-127 Patterson, Althea, 'Opinion: brutalising brummie Brutalism', Birmingham Review <birminghamreview.net/opinion-brutalising-brummie-brutalism> posted16 January 2014 [accessed 26 March 2018] Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal , 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Stacey, Alison, 'Public will regret demolition of Central Library in 40 years', Birmingham live <https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/heritage-expert-claimspublic-regret-12118279> [accessed 12 March 2018] Shapely, P., 'The entrepreneurial city: the role of local government and city-centre redevelopment in post-war industrial English cities', Twentieth Century British History, 22(2010), 498-520 Smith, Roger, Birmingham 1939-1970 , ( London: Published for the Birmingham City Council by Oxford University Press, 1974) Transcription of Ed Doolan show, BBC Radio WM, 22 November 2009.

Vaughan, R. , 'Birmingham's brutalist library to be demolished', The Architects'Journal , 228(2008), 12-13

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Lis t of I ll u st rat ion

Timeline 1: Made by author Timeline 2: Made by author according to information in .Larkham, P. J. and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library' ,TRANSACTIONS OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS SOCIETY , 60 (2016), 94-127 Timeline 3: Made by author according to information in .Larkham, P. J. and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library' ,TRANSACTIONS OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS SOCIETY , 60 (2016), 94-127

Diagram 1-1: Made by author according to google earth Diagram 1-2: Source from google earth reproduced by author Diagram 2: Source form digimap reproduced by author according to map in Library of Birmingham Diagram 3-1,3-2,3-3: Source form Library of Birmingham reproduced by author Diagram 4: Source from google earth reproduced by author Diagram 5-1,5-2,5-3,5-4: Source form Library of Birmingham reproduced by author Diagram 6: Made by author based on Google map according to map in Library of Birmingham Diagram 7, Made by author based on Google map according to map in digimap Diagram 8: Source form Library of Birmingham reproduced by author Diagram 9: Source form Library of Birmingham reproduced by author Diagram 10: Drawn by author according to photo form Birmingham history Archive Diagram 11: Drawn by author according to photo form Birmingham history Archive Diagram 12-1: Drawing by author according to information in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Diagram 12-2: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author

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Diagram 13-1: Drawing by author according to information in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal , 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Diagram 13-2: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 14: Source from Birmingham history Archive redrawn by author Diagram 15-1,15-2,15-3,15-4: Source form Library of Birmingham and The Architects' Journal reproduced by author Diagram 16: Drawn by author according to Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Plans:: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 17: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 18: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 19: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 20: Drawn by author according to photo from Birmingham history Archive Diagram 21: Source from Madin Archive reproduced by author Diagram 22: Source form Library of Birmingham and The Architects' Journal reproduced by author Diagram 23: Source from Library of Birmingham reproduced by author Diagram 24: Source form Birmingham history Archive redrawn by author Diagram 25: Source from Birmingham history Archive reproduced by author Photo 1: Source from Birmingham history Archive Photo 2: source form Birmingham city council Photo 3: Source from Birmingham history Archive

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Photo 4: Source from Birmingham history Archive Photo 5: Source from Madin Archive Photo 6: Source from https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/brutal-end-vision-john-madin-8685822 Photo 7: Source from photo in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Photo 8: Source from photo in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Photo 9: Source from photo in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Photo 10-1,10-2: Source from :https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Main_Reading_Room,_Bodleian_Law_Library,_University_of_Oxford_-_20081018.jpg Photo 11-1,11-2: source from: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/goodbye-denys-lasdun Photo 12-1,12-2: source from: https://artchist.wordpress.com/2016/10/06/couvent-sainte-marie-de-la-tourette-in-eveux-sur-larbresle-by-le-corbusier/couvent-sainte-marie-de-latourette-in-eveux-sur-larbresle-by-le-corbusier-47/ Photo 13: Source from Birmingham history Archive reproduced by author Photo 14: Source from photo in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157 reproduced by author Photo 15,16: Source from Birmingham history Archive Photo 17: Source from photo in Ribet,, R., 'Birmingham central library', The Architects' Journal, 159(1974), 1137-1157.

Photo 18: Source from: https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/incoming/gallery/birmingham-central-library-over-years-6300265 Photo 19: Source from: http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/brmb_archives.html Photo 20: Source from Birmingham history Archive.

Photo 21: Source from https://www.dreamstime.com/editorial-photography-pedestrians-outside-paradise-forum-birmingham-view-library-looking-towards-shopping-centrewalkways-near-two-image43418622

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Photo 22: Source from Larkham, P. J. and David Adams, 'The Un-necessary Monument? The Origins, Impact and Potential Conservation of Birmingham Central Library' ,TRANSACTIONS OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS SOCIETY, 60 (2016), 94-127 Photo 23: Source from https://www.failedarchitecture.com/paradise-lost-birminghams-central-library-and-the-battle-over-brutalism/ Drawing 1: Source from Birmingham history Archive Drawing 2: Source from Birmingham history Archive Drawing 3: Source form https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/02/12/how-boston-city-hall-was-born/DtfspyXVbKBIKi8iSXHX6J/story.html Drawing 4: Source from https://twitter.com/I_LIKE_CONCRETE/status/832522585841754112 reproduced by author Drawing 5: Source from Madin Archive Drawing 6: Source from Madin Archive

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