I am feeling unusually proud of my adopted home town since seeing the new library building that has just opened after nearly two years of work.
It is a beautiful, interesting, useful space with a lot to offer everyone but mostly I just love the look of it and from it.
Birmingham is a great city to live in because of its proximity to green spaces within easy reach of the city center and this new building gives you amazing views of the skyline and the hills around.
It’s come under some criticism for architectural style; I heard people grumbling as I went round, and I wanted to say ‘open your eyes – its’ beautiful and we now have a building that every tourist will want to visit and not for the top terrace views alone’.
very Harry Potter – sorry it’s blurred
As I went round at the weekend I thought there was an air of patriotism though which I hadn’t experienced since the Olympic games.
I am (reliably, I hope) informed that the outside decoration is in reference to Birmingham’s metal working past and the links with jewellery making – hence the jewel box exterior. Not sure I’d have got that myself unaided but I like it none the less.
Inside is just as beautifully crafted and has some lovely artwork inside.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Su Blackwell
Su Blackwell is a paper sculptor who designed this to commemorate the Shakespeare collection and room in this new library.
Elsewhere there is artwork by Lucy McLauchlan for shelves and a fabulous mural. Her own photos here show it to it’s best.
I think these pieces are only there for three months so it will be interesting to watch what comes in their place and how art fits into the new life of this building.
I shall finish waxing lyrical with a final shot of one of the terraces and I’m only sorry that the weather has turned to winter overnight or I would be up there drinking a latte! Visit if you can.
