Love contemporary music? Love Birmingham's brutalist architecture? An avid collector of tote bags? Well, we have something exciting for you. Grab your limited edition BCMG x Signal Box tote bag.
If you're looking for last-minute Christmas gifts for your Brummy friends, or want to treat yourself, these will hit the festive spot.
Birmingham New Street Signal Box
Birmingham New Street Signal Box is the iconic brutalist railway signal box in Birmingham, situated on the corner of Brunel Street and Navigation Street, at the west end of the platforms of Birmingham New Street railway station. This brutalist structure is a grade II listed building for its architectural value and is a much-loved Birmingham landmark.
The box was designed by Bicknell and Hamilton (an architectural practice led by Paul Hamilton and John Hamilton) in collaboration with Ray Moorcroft, British Rail's regional architect for the London Midland region. An example of brutalist architecture, it was built from 1964 to 1966 as part of the remodeling of New Street station.
Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase bare building materials and structural elements over decorative design. The style commonly makes use of exposed, unpainted concrete or brick, angular geometric shapes, and a predominantly monochrome colour palette.
Brutalism Criticism!
If you need any more persuading on Brutalism, have a read of some excellent criticisms of the architectural movement.
"Piles of concrete" "A monstrous carbuncle".
Charles III
"Spiritual, intellectual, and moral deformity." "cold-hearted", "inhuman", "hideous" and "monstrous"."Does not age gracefully but instead crumbles, stains, and decays"
Anthony Daniels
Photography by Alex Walker & Amy Hoult for BCMG