British Telecom Tower (Birmingham)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

British Telecom Tower

The tower from Great Charles Street Queensway.
Information
Location Lionel Street, Birmingham, England
Coordinates 52°29′0.31″N 1°54′15.95″W / 52.4834194, -1.9044306Coordinates: 52°29′0.31″N 1°54′15.95″W / 52.4834194, -1.9044306
Status Complete
Constructed 1966
Use Telecommunication
Height
Roof 152 metres (500 ft)
Floor count 31
Companies
Architect Ministry of Public Buildings and Works

The British Telecom Tower (formerly known as the Post Office Tower and, before that the GPO Tower) is a landmark in Birmingham, England, and is also among the tallest buildings in the city.

Contents

[edit] History

Construction of the tower commenced in July 1963 and was completed in September 1965. The tower became operational in December 1966 and was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Alderman James S. Meadows on October 5, 1967.[1] It was designed by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works with M.H. Bristow being the senior architect.[2] It has 26 storeys, housing technical areas and offices, and five levels of circular aerial galleries at the top.[3]

In August 2003, the tower was painted an ultramarine blue to cover the existing light brown which had started to discolour. The balconies were painted to stand out from the tower in a dark shade of blue. On March 18, 2004, Jasper Carrott switched on the night time illuminations of the tower in response to Birmingham City Council's policy of encouraging the illumination of local landmarks.[1]

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal runs beneath the nearby, decommissioned, Brindley House Telephone Exchange. This may have been the only telephone exchange in the world, under which you could have passed by boat. Construction of Brindley House commenced in 1967 and was completed the following year. It was designed by D.K. McGowan.[2] Brindley House is currently undergoing a refurbishment into apartments by MCD Developments. It will also be reclad and an extra floor is being constructed at the top.

It is known for being home to roosting Peregrines.

[edit] Gallery

One of the Farmers Bridge Locks on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal with the BT Tower behind - before it was repainted in 2003.

Another of the locks. This is not directly beneath the tower but under another BT building in the same telephone exchange complex.

The tower and surrounding buildings.

The tower after being repainted.

Looking up the tower from its base.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b BT's towering achievement. Birmingham Post (2006-09-08). Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
  2. ^ a b Foster, Andy [2005] (2007). Birmingham, Pevsner Architectural Guides. Yale University Press, 190. ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9. 
  3. ^ Hanman, B.L.G., and Smith, N.D. (1965), Birmingham Radio Tower, Post Office Electrical Engineers' Journal, Vol. 58 Part 3, October 1965, pp. 182-186.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Buildings in Birmingham, England
Highrise (in height order):
Notable lowrise:
Major railway stations:
Major complexes:
Sports venues:
List of tallest buildings and structures in Birmingham  • List of Birmingham board schools  • Listed buildings in Birmingham