Paradise Forum

Paradise Forum in central Birmingham, England is an arena under the Central Library containing bars, restaurants, small shops and stalls, and forming the main pedestrian thoroughfare between Centenary Square and the central shopping and business area of Birmingham. The thoroughfare is open 24 hours a day.

The Birmingham Central Library, a Brutalist concrete jettied building was built 1969-74 by John Madin Design Group next to the original public library (which was then demolished) in Paradise Circus, a large roundabout on the inner ring road. Originally the hollow main building was open at the sides and roof and the space underneath was windy and unused. Paradise Forum was formed when this central space was covered over and enclosed in 1988 after the footbridge (which carries 11.8m people a year) was built and the inner ring road lowered as part of improvements to pedestrian access to Centenary Square.

To the west is Centenary Square, reached over a wide footbridge. To the south is the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Adrian Boult Hall. To the east is Chamberlain Square and the centre of Birmingham.

The Central Library and Paradise Forum stand on the site of Mason Science College (the precursor of Birmingham University, built 1880 and demolished 1962) and over part of a once longer Edmund Street.

Since July 2006 the main pedestrian thoroughfare restaurants and small shops are being refurbished in a £2m facelift by the new owners, Argent Group PLC, who bought the site from Birmingham City Council in 2005.

References

*"Pevsner Architectural Guides - Birmingham", Andy Foster, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10731-5
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=1862&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 Location map from Birmingham Libraries site]
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=88961&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 Birmingham Libraries - the move to the new building]
* [http://www.riskybuildings.org.uk/docs/19library/index.html The Twentieth Century Society - Risky Buildings - the enclosure of the central space]
* [http://www.locatebirmingham.com/file/244 Locate Birmingham Autumn 2006 - Update on the purchase and redevelopment in 2005-6]