The middle portion of the elevation uses profiled terracotta framed within smaller brick piers
Selly Park Church
Section
Typical floor
Ground floor
Pershore Junction
Challenging the norm of conventional student housing, Pershore Junction seamlessly integrates its undergraduate community into an established neighbourhood.
A suburban setting
With its tree-lined streets and rows of Victorian terraces, Selly Park, in south-west Birmingham, is well regarded as a characterful inner-city district within walking distance of the University of Birmingham. Our brief, from long-standing client Alumno Developments, was to integrate student accommodation onto a complex site that was unloved and forgotten.
Repair and nurture
With Pershore Junction, we sought to finish what the Victorians started by utilising a sharp ‘horseshoe’ plan to connect a row of terraced housing on two converging streets. The massing steps up to the corner of the junction and conversely steps down towards the abutting terraces, responding and knitting into its context.
In response to the immediate context and local historic landmarks, the building’s facade features elegantly crafted red brick and terracotta details, adding intricacy and craftsmanship. A tripartite approach to building elevation establishes a distinct language, transitioning from solid masonry to deep profiled terracotta.
We worked closely with Birmingham City Council to ensure that the new building would not only offer visual and economic gain to this part of the city but also provide the neighbourhood with facilities for the local community.
“Pershore Junction sets a bar for design quality that should, and clearly can be, delivered. The architects’ careful consideration of materials and their handling is superb and has resulted in a building that owns its place in this location and belongs to Birmingham.”
—Andrew Fuller, City Design Manager
Building a community
Having worked extensively in the student housing sector for several years, we understand the need to strive for best-in-class amenities that contribute to the well-being of residents. Pershore Junction is no different, housing facilities for health and recreation, including a central landscaped garden where all students can meet up and enjoy the outdoors.
As with many Alumno schemes, art is integrated throughout to enrich the experience of residents and non-residents. Local creative talent has been commissioned for exhibitions, events and lectures.
| Client | Alumno | |||
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| Location | Selly Park, Birmingham | |||
| Size | 5,466 sq m | |||
| Status | Completed 2024 | |||
| Homes | 167 student bedrooms | |||
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