HS2 reveals enhanced designs for Birmingham Curzon Street Station

HS2 has revealed a series of improvements to the design of the railway’s landmark Birmingham Curzon Street station – further enhancing the passenger experience, accessibility and internal layout.

Under the detailed plans, the station will be fitted with additional cycle parking, better accessibility, more seating spaces and simplified access between platforms. There will also be changes to the construction materials to boost efficiency and minimise maintenance.

Consent for the station, based on an outline scheme design, was secured in 2020 from Birmingham City Council. Since that time, HS2 has appointed Mace Dragados Joint Venture (MDJV) as its construction partner, with responsibility for progressing the detailed design and construction of the station.

MDJV, working with their design partners Arcadis and WSP Joint Venture along with Grimshaw architects, have now revealed the proposed design refinements, which will be submitted for approval to Birmingham City Council in late 2024.

Birmingham Curzon Street Station is set to become a key destination and thriving entry and departure point as part of Britain’s new high-speed railway. The building’s design is inspired by the great arched roofs built by the Victorian railway pioneers, and takes that inspiration into the 21st Century, ensuring accessibility and a focus on the open space and landscaping around it.

Passenger experience has been a key driver in the detailed design process, which incorporates a number of improvements to the station’s features. These include additional cycle parking; rainfall capture in planted areas, with landscaping, lighting, paving and seating spaces; better accessibility at pedestrian entrances; durable external ceramic tiling; and a more unified internal layout of the eastern concourse which allows passengers to change platforms without leaving the ticketed area, enhancing the experience of people using the station.

Further development of the materials being used will also improve construction efficiency, future-proof the station and minimise maintenance requirements over its 120-year life span.

Major earthworks have already started on the construction site, preparing for foundation work to get underway this Autumn and building work on the main station structure to start next year.

HS2’s high-speed trains will operate on reliable new infrastructure between London and Birmingham, significantly reducing journey times and freeing up space on the existing mainline for more local and freight services. The railway is expected to be operational between 2029 and 2033.

Dave Lock, HS2’s Project Client Director for Curzon Street Station said:

“We’re pleased that these design refinements mark a key step in enhancing the detailed features of Curzon Street Station, which will be an iconic gateway to Birmingham for future HS2 passengers.

“Once built, the station will strengthen Birmingham’s transport connections, support the regeneration of Eastside and Digbeth, and play a vital role in the long-term economic future of the West Midlands.”

Jason Millett, Board Member for Mace Dragados joint venture said:

“Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station will be the first new intercity terminus built in Britain since the 19th century. With 21st century design principles, the station will improve accessibility and spur the region’s economy forward.

“These refinements will enhance the station further, enable the use of future-proofed materials and will now be shared with the community as we gear up for work on the main station structure.”

Grimshaw Partner Neven Sidor, in charge of the architectural design said:

“Any design for a major and complex public building needs to negotiate a journey from preliminary concept in the minds of a team of engineers and architects to a much more detailed set of technical drawings embraced by the teams of contractors that will build it.

“We are therefore pleased to announce that the original design vision has not only been maintained but has also been enhanced through the detailed design process. It is more robust, more efficient to build, and just as elegant.”

Improvements to the station’s arrival areas include a redesign of the southern entrance of the Eastern Concourse to make it more prominent, strengthening the arrival experience and providing better links with Digbeth.

The new southern entrance is open and welcoming, with the position of the building edge now set back to create a covered area. The façades have been simplified with washable and graffiti-proof coloured ceramic tiling replacing the original concrete cladding. It will also have an accessible ramp route, as well as steps, which provide a welcoming arrival point.

The main arrival area features taxi drop-off, pick-up point and taxi ranks, as well as dedicated drop-off and blue badge accessible parking spaces. The design of the surface levels has been improved to avoid the need for steps to improve pedestrian accessibility and connectivity.

Cycle parking has been prioritised in the design with a large area located prominently along the eastern side of the concourse near the main cycle route from Digbeth. Additional cycle parking will also be provided in smaller areas dotted around the eastern concourse near the cycle routes from the north and west of the station. Subject to funding, space is also safeguarded for a potential future cycle hub.

The material of the station’s roof has changed from timber to aluminium because this is better for fire safety and more cost effective to maintain. Visually, the roof panels still offer a similar warm and inviting appearance.

People will have the opportunity to see the design refinements before they are submitted to Birmingham City Council for approval later in the year.