University News Last updated 20 November 2015
A £63 million university building which opened its doors to students less than two months ago has picked up two prestigious property awards.
Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building has been crowned the winner at the West Midlands Property Awards in both the Construction Project of the Year and the Sustainability Award categories.
The Awards took place at Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole Hotel last night (Thursday November 19).
The 24,000 square foot building, which took more than two years to build, boasts over 650 rooms and used over 300,000 bricks and 10,000 cubic tons of concrete during its construction.
The facility, which sits opposite the site of the Birmingham’s historic Curzon Street railway station, is the new home to more than 5,000 students studying in the University’s Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences and its School of English.
The project also included the restoration of the historic Eagle and Ball pub, which has stood derelict for eight years, maintaining many of its original Victorian features.
Dr Paul Hartley, Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University said: “The Curzon Building has already proved to be a striking new addition to the Eastside skyline and we are absolutely delighted that it has won not one, but two awards so soon after opening.
“Thousands of our students are now benefitting from even better facilities as well as a building which was built sustainably and it is great that this has been recognised.”
The Curzon building was constructed by property firm Willmot Dixon.
The announcement comes after planning chiefs approved a major expansion to the Curzon Building last month.
The green light was given for work to begin on the new building currently known as Plot 2A which will house 3,000 students and staff by adding 10,000 square feet and six storeys of additional educational space.