Old Birmingham Library 3 - a photo on Flickriver

            Following information courtesy of Wikipedia

"Birmingham Central Library was the main public library in Birmingham, England from 1974 until 2013. For a time the largest non-national library in Europe, it closed on 29 June 2013 and was replaced with the Library of Birmingham. The existing building is due to be demolished in 2014 as part of the redevelopment of Paradise Circus by Argent Group.

Designed by architect, John Madin in the brutalist style, the library was part of an ambitious development project by Birmingham City Council to create a civic centre around its new Inner Ring Road system; however due to economic reasons significant parts of the masterplan were not completed and quality was reduced on materials as an economic measure. Two previous libraries occupied the adjacent site before Madin’s library opened in 1974. The previous library was opened in 1883 and was designed by John Henry Chamberlain featuring a tall clerestoried reading room, this was demolished in 1974 after the new library had opened.

Despite the original vision not being fully implemented the library has gained architectural praise as an icon of British Brutalism with its stark use of concrete, bold geometry, inverted ziggurat sculptural form and monumental scale. Its style was seen at the time as a symbol of social progressivism. Based on this, English Heritage applied and failed twice for the building to gain listed status. However, due to strong opposition from Birmingham City Council the building gained immunity from listing until 2016.

In 2010–11 Central Library was the second most visited library in the country with 1,197,350 visitors.*

Taken on: July 30, 2014

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Old

Library

July

Brutalist

2014

Concrete

Architecture « less

Sets appears in: • Old Birmingham Library • Birmingham

Groups appears in: • Black and White • Architecture more » • Birmingham • Brutalist Architecture (inc. brick, metal and glass) • B+W • Architecture Travellers • Concrete Birmingham • Flood me in Black and White!!! (Post all your B&W photos) • Birmingham Post and Mail • Birmingham Central Library • John Madin, Architect • Birmingham Central Library, 1974-2013 « less

Camera: Canon EOS 650D, f/4.0, 1/500 sec, 70mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 650D
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	70mm
ISO:	200
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 10.0 Windows
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