Selfridges, Birmingham, UK - City architecture

The Selfridges building is one of Birmingham's most distinctive landmarks and is one of the City's most photographed buildings. It was completed in 2003. 

 


The Selfridges building

Birmingham 

B5 4BP

View site map HERE

Photography by Daniel Sturley

 

Architect: Future Systems

Contractor: Laing O'Rourke

 

In brief

Selfridges is a great example of modern build and architecture.It was completed in 2003 at a cost of £60 million and was designed by architects, Future Systems and has had a significant influence on contemporary build across many cities worldwide. The exterior is created from 15,000 anodized aluminum discs.

In recent years, many of these discs have gone missing, and you might see men abseiling down the side of the building to clean or replace them. But as of 2021, all of the discs will be taken down and replaced behind scaffolding for the first time in 18 years.

 

Dogtooth Flower by Osman Yousefzada

During 2020 and 2021 all of the discs will be taken down and replaced, while scaffolding goes up with a pink hoarding artwork called the 'Dogtooth Flower' designed by Osman Yousefzada.

Pink SelfridgesPink Selfridges from Park Street (December 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

 

Pink SelfridgesPink Selfridges from Park Street (April 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Gallery of Selfridges photography from our community contributors

March 2013 - Elliott Brown

 

December 2019 Daniel Sturley

 

December 2019 Daniel Sturley

 

June 2019 - Barry Whitehead

 

March 2013 - Elliott Brown

 

March 2019 - Karl Newton

 

January 2019 - James March

 

December 2018 - Barry Whitehead

 

November 2018 - Jay Mason-Burns

October 2018 - Chris Fletcher

 

October 2018 - Mac McCreery

 

August 2018 - Jay Mason-Burns

 

July 2018 - Tammie Naughton

July 2018 - Barry Whitehead

 

March 2018 - Tammie Naughton

 

March 2018 - Chris Fletcher

 

January 2018 - Damien Walmsley

Project dates

01 Feb 2018 - On-going

Passions

Photography, Shopping, Modern Architecture

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Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com

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26 Jul 2021 - Elliott Brown
Gallery

Pink artwork Selfridges - mid April to late July 2021 update

Post image

After more than 9 months, the pink artwork called 'Dogtooth Flower' designed by Osman Yousefzada is now complete. It completely wraps around Selfridges on Park Street and Moor Street. Now the work to remove the discs underneath can begin. This gallery update featuring photos taken from the 17th April until 25th July 2021, at various locations around the City Centre.

Related

Pink artwork Selfridges - mid April to late July 2021 update





After more than 9 months, the pink artwork called 'Dogtooth Flower' designed by Osman Yousefzada is now complete. It completely wraps around Selfridges on Park Street and Moor Street. Now the work to remove the discs underneath can begin. This gallery update featuring photos taken from the 17th April until 25th July 2021, at various locations around the City Centre.


For the previous post go here: Osman Yousefzada's Dogtooth Flower at Selfridges

 

17th April 2021

Only a partial bit of pink artwork spotted on the Park Street side of Selfridges. Taken from the Digbeth Branch Canal in Eastside, near Curzon Street, overlooking the HS2 station site.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 17042021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

This view below taken in Digbeth from Milk Street, looking up Coventry Street, with the Rotunda seen above. Below is Moor Street Car Park.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 17042021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

This Digbeth view taken from Birchall Street, looking up Stone Yard, towards Birmingham Coach Station, near the Connaught Square development site.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 17042021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

27th May 2021

West Midlands Cycle Hire docking point seen on Park Street, opposite Selfridges. After this I went up the lift in Moor Street Car Park for the first time in ages.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WM Cycle Hire BCC 27052021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The view from level 8 of Moor Street Car Park. The Park Street side of Selfridges.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 27052021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Looking right towards the Parametric Bridge that connects Moor Street Car Park to Selfridges.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 27052021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The view of Selfridges down Park Street, taken from the Parametric Bridge. The gaps have been filled in, so you can't really get your lens through much.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 27052021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

29th May 2021

A couple of days later and the standard view of Selfridges from the corner of Park Street and Moor Street. About halfway up, but yet to go over the top of the Parametric Bridge.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges 29052021.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

5th June 2021

The views heading down from St Martin's Walk into St Martin's Square at the Bullring & Grand Central Birmingham.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The screen on for the French Open, was still there for Wimbledon, and for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Vietnamese Street Kitchen is now open, where Handmade Burger Co used to be.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Selfridges near the entrance of Bullring Car Park, on Park Street.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The usual view from the Park Street and Moor Street corner, close to the entrance of Moor Street Car Park.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Heading up Moor Street to Birmingham Moor Street Station, several NXWM Platinum buses waiting opposite on the 50 (or 35).

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The view of Selfridges from Birmingham Moor Street Station with the Chiltern Railways 168214 train waiting at platform 3. Rotunda on the right.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Now on platform 1 waiting to catch a train home, saw this view of the station with the Parametric Bridge. Still a long way to go at this point

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DFT Selfridges BR 05062021 (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

13th June 2021

The view from Barford Street and Sherlock Street over the Smithfield development site. Near Southside. Pershore Street Car Park was getting demolished, Moat Lane Car Park is next for demolition.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges Sfield 13062021.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

21st June 2021

Blossom Bar was coming to the Bullring above St Martin's Square. Can barely see Selfridges from here.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Blossom Bar St MS (Jun 2021) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was open by the time we went into July.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Blossom Bar St MS (Jun 2021) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

4th July 2021

Ominious clouds above Selfridges from the usual Moor Street and Park Street corner view. I was walking to the Custard Factory in Digbeth. This was the last photo I took before it started heavily raining while in Digbeth (and I got drenched).

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 04072021.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

19th July 2021

The view from Moor Street Queensway, bus stop MS4. A bus advertising the new Warner Bros / DC movie The Suicide Squad passes Birmingham Moor Street Station, the view of Selfridges on Moor Street.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bham Moor St pin Sfridges 19072021.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

20th July 2021

On the no 50 NXWM Platinum bus heading towards the Bullring. This view of Selfridges, taken from the skyline view on Moseley Road, between Highgate and Digbeth. This view might be lost in the future, if the proposed building between Moseley Street and Cheapside gets built up here.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges Mos Rd Dbth 20072021.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

The 50 is now on Moat Lane, about to stop on St Martin's Lane near St Martin's Church and Park Street. I would get off the bus at the 50 terminus on Moor Street.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/St Martins Bring (Jul 2021) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

25th July 2021

I got off the bus early on High Street Bordesley, to walk up to Camp Hill. Got this view near Alcester Street of the Rotunda, 103 Colmore Row, Selfridges and the BT Tower. The self storage place has closed down I think.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 25072021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Later walking back up Digbeth near the Beorma Quarter. The Prince's Trust is in the Digbeth Cold Storage building. I saw a no 97 bus passing the building.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 25072021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Selfridges near the top of Digbeth. St Martin's Church on the left.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 25072021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Selfridges from Digbeth and on Park Street at the pedestrian traffic lights. A no 50 NXWM Platinum bus goes by.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 25072021 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Later I got back on my bus at Moor Street Queensway (MS4), with another view of Birmingham Moor Street Station and pink Selfridges. The taxi rank outside.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Sfridges 25072021 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

 

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Modern Architecture
12 Apr 2021 - Elliott Brown
Gallery

Osman Yousefzada's Dogtooth Flower at Selfridges

Post image

Scaffolding started going up Selfridges around November 2020. By December 2020, the first pieces of Osman Yousefzada's Dogtooth Flower (IKON Gallery) pink artwork started to go up. Entered the 3rd lockdown in January 2021. So didn't get to see more until I travelled up early April 2021 on the train. So this update mostly before getting the train home from Birmingham Moor Street.

Related

Osman Yousefzada's Dogtooth Flower at Selfridges





Scaffolding started going up Selfridges around November 2020. By December 2020, the first pieces of Osman Yousefzada's Dogtooth Flower (IKON Gallery) pink artwork started to go up. Entered the 3rd lockdown in January 2021. So didn't get to see more until I travelled up early April 2021 on the train. So this update mostly before getting the train home from Birmingham Moor Street.


For years, the shiny discs at Selfridges have been going missing, you might see the odd abseiling worker dangling down the side taking them down, or replacing them. But this process is taking ages. So finally something is being done about it. Scaffolding has been going up the last six months, a long with pink artwork by Osman Yousefzada called the Dogtooth Flower. As of April 2021, they still haven't finished putting it all up. The goal is for workers behind the scaffolding to take down all the discs, and replace them with new ones. Hopefully in time for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022. Good luck! The time is ticking down!

 

This photo below taken during March 2019. Men abseiling down Selfridges with blue bags, probably holding some of the discs.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Abseiling Selfridges 18032019 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

 

16th November 2020

Heading back to the office in the middle of the second lockdown, got off the bus early and walked up Digbeth to see Selfridges with scaffolding going up.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 16112020 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

At first the scaffolding only went up Park Street, and the windows were covered up to protect them.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 16112020 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 16112020 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

No scaffolding on Moor Street at this point.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 16112020 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

20th November 2020

Leaving the office just before 5pm GMT, headed down to St Martin's Square at the Bullring to check of the hoardings at Selfridges after dark.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

About the same amount of scaffolding as 4 days earlier. Was also Christmas lights on Park Street.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

As well as Christmas lights up Moor Street.

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scaf Selfridges 20112020 (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

18th December 2020

On the bus in the evening heading home from work, spotted the first bit of pink hoardings artwork by Osman Yousefzada. Selfridges was claiming that they were still open as usual. At the time in Tier 3 restrictions.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges (Dec 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

24th December 2020

The Christmas Eve walk around the City Centre. Saw the same piece of pink artwork but in the daylight before getting the bus home. Would be the last time I would see it in 4 months. As the 3rd lockdown began a few weeks later early into January 2021.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges (Dec 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges (Dec 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pink Selfridges (Dec 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

3rd April 2021

View from the train pulling into Birmingham Moor Street Station. I would stay on until Jewellery Quarter Station. Couldn't travel in while "Stay at Home" during the 3rd lockdown. But once we changed to "Stay Local" I got my first train in months. From the Restored Chamberlain Clock in the Jewellery Quarter, on a walk to Selfridges.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Later after a walk around the City Centre, got to Upper Dean Street from Southside, got this view over the Bull Ring Open Market and St Martin's Church, with the Bull Ring Tavern on the right.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The views of the pink hoarding artwork up Park Street, starting from St Martin's Lane.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The corner of Park Street and Moor Street, near Moor Street Car Park, as a National Express West Midlands bus went past.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Onto Moor Street on the walk up to Birmingham Moor Street Station.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The No 50 NXWM Platinum bus. Not been on a bus in 4 months now.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Artwork information inside of the hoardings opposite. Osman Yousefzada created this artwork in conjunction with Selfridges and the IKON Gallery.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (10).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (11).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

View from Birmingham Moor Street Station, platform 3. With two Chiltern Railways trains, 168 325 and 165021. Couldn't see any other views from the station, so walked around the one way system, and crossed the footbridge to get my train home.

dndimg alt="Pink Selfridges" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/OYDF Selfridges 03042021 (12).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

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Art; Culture & creativity
29 Mar 2021 - Elliott Brown
Gallery

King Kong is Back at the Bullring (November 2015)

Post image

King Kong is Back was a trail at the Bullring during November 2015 (more than 5 years ago now). It was a trail by the Newness Archive who installed hundreds of tags with facts about Birmingham's history of invention and newness. These were on the Bullring Link Bridge (now called Link Street). Pointing to Kong inside of Selfridges. There was once a Kong statue at the Bull Ring in 1972.

Related

King Kong is Back at the Bullring (November 2015)





King Kong is Back was a trail at the Bullring during November 2015 (more than 5 years ago now). It was a trail by the Newness Archive who installed hundreds of tags with facts about Birmingham's history of invention and newness. These were on the Bullring Link Bridge (now called Link Street). Pointing to Kong inside of Selfridges. There was once a Kong statue at the Bull Ring in 1972.


KING KONG IS BACK

Going back to early November 2015, when King Kong returned to the Bullring, for the first time since 1972 (kind of). Starting from the Bullring Link Bridge, in the windows of the then empty shop units (now called Link Street), there was blow up King Kong's (looked more like gorilla's). If you followed the arrows to Selfridges, you would find a much larger King Kong!

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

In this shop window alone was around five blow up King Kong's.

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

There was hundreds of tags in the windows by Newness Archive, containing facts about Birmingham's history. In 1972 a 23ft high King Kong was installed in Manzoni Gardens. It wasn't there for long.

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Another window on the Bullring Link Bridge, this time with three Kong's!

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

One of the three King Kong's. Go to Selfridges an celebrate the opening of Grand Central (which had opened to the public less than two months before).

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

After a search around Selfridges, I found King Kong near Diesel and Trapstar.

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

King Kong is Back screams the yellow plinth below!

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Kong was in the menswear section of Selfridges.

dndimg alt="King Kong is Back" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong is Back (Nov 2015) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

 

King Kong in Manzoni Gardens at the Bull Ring Shopping Centre, 1972

Here we see the infamous King Kong statue in Manzoni Gardens at the Bull Ring Shopping Centre during 1972. Photos courtesy of the Birmingham Mail.

dndimg alt="King Kong 1972" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong BM 1972 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Children in 1972 posed with the King Kong statue at the old Bull Ring.

dndimg alt="King Kong 1972" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/King Kong BM 1972 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The statue moved around Birmingham during 1972. Over the years it has been located at Penrith in the Lake District (2011). It was also once in an exhibition in Leeds during 2016, but it has never returned to Birmingham, but it still exists up north somewhere.

Archive photos from the Birmingham Mail.

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