The Cube (building)

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name = The Cube


location = Birmingham, England, UK
coordinates =
status = Under Construction
groundbreaking = 2007
constructed = 2007-2010
est-completion = Spring 2010
use = Mixed Use - Office, Retail, Residential, Hotel
roof = 70.4 m (231 ft)
floor_count = 17
cost =
floor_area = 111,500 ft² (10,360 m²), office space
architect = Ken Shuttleworth, MAKE Architects
engineer =
contractor = Build Ability
developer = Birmingham Development Company

The Cube is a 17 storey tower, under construction, in Birmingham, England. Designed by Ken Shuttleworth of MAKE Architects, the mixed use development will contain 135 flats, 111,500 ft² (10,360 m²) of offices, shops, a hotel and a 'skyline' restaurant. It is the final phase of The Mailbox development by the Birmingham Development Company (BDC).

Design

The building's name come from its cubic dimensions. However, the building is more than a cuboid, as it floats on a glass first floor with the atrium twisting up through the centre. The building is topped with a two story angular crown which will house the hotel and restaurant. Inside, an open courtyard will contain shops which will act as a hub as people pass through from surrounding streets and the canal at Gas Street Basin. The outside will be clad in a golden anodised aluminium framework with windows cleverly placed for the best views and sunlight, but giving an impression of randomness like a game of Tetris. [Citation
last = Hewitson
first = Jessie
title = The jewel in the town
newspaper = The Times
year = 2006
date = 2006-07-14
url = http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article686769.ece
Citation
last = Perks
first = Jon
title = The Cube is coming!
newspaper = Birmingham Post
year = 2006
date = 2006-01-03
url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/cityliving/lifestyle/tm_objectid=16542950&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=the-cube-is-coming--name_page.html]

Birmingham-born Shuttleworth, who designed London's Gherkin building with Norman Foster, has stated that the design evokes the city's industrial heritage. "|The cladding for me tries to reflect the heavy industries of Birmingham which I remember as a kid, the metal plate works and the car plants - and the inside is very crystalline, all glass; that to me is like the jewellery side of Birmingham, the lightbulbs and delicate stuff - it tries to reflect the essence of Birmingham in the building itself. [Citation
last = Perks
first = Jon
title = The Cube is coming!
newspaper = Birmingham Post
year = 2006
date = 2006-01-03
url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/cityliving/lifestyle/tm_objectid=16542950&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=the-cube-is-coming--name_page.html]

Construction

The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2008, but has been delayed. Construction company, Taylor Woodrow had won the project from Sir Robert McAlpine and Miller Construction, but had been unable to agree a final price, with the developer, BDC. Since then other contractors have been looked at the project but have been deterred by the complexity of MAKE's design.

BDC have therefore decided to establish their own contractor, Build Ability, to ensure the project was completed. This led Building magazine to dub the project 'Britain's biggest DIY job' [Citation
last = Miller
first = Vicki
title = Cube developer takes on Britain’s biggest DIY job
newspaper = Building
year = 2007
url = http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=3087644] Employees of Build Ability are being offered a 60% share of the profits of The Cube as an incentive to encourage recruitment. [Citation
title = You Give Us 100% We Give You 60% (recruitment leaflet)
year = 2007
url = http://www.build-ability.com/ad.pdf
accessdate = 2007-10-13 ]

Completion is now likely in Spring 2010.

References

External links

* [http://www.thecubeiscoming.com/ The Cube is Coming]