British Telecom Tower (Birmingham)

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name= British Telecom Tower


The tower from Great Charles Street Queensway, with Brindley House behind it.
built= 1966
use= Telecommunication
surpassed_by_building=
year_highest=
year_end=
location= Lionel Street, Birmingham, England
coordinates= coord|52|29|0.31|N|1|54|15.95|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title
roof= convert|152|m|ft|
height_stories= 31
construction_period= July 1963-September 1966
floor_area=
architect= Ministry of Public Buildings and Works
contractor=
emporis_id= 110778The 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.

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 5 October 1967.cite web|url=http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=17707910%26siteid=50002-name_page.html |title=BT's towering achievement |publisher=Birmingham Post |date=2006-09-08 |accessdate=2007-12-08] It was designed by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works with M.H. Bristow being the senior architect.cite book |last=Foster |first=Andy |title=Birmingham |series=Pevsner Architectural Guides |origyear=2005 |year=2007 |pages=190 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-10731-9] It has 26 storeys, housing technical areas and offices, and five levels of circular aerial galleries at the top. [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.]

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 18 March 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.

The tower is known for being home to roosting Peregrines.

Brindley House

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal runs beneath the adjacent, decommissioned, Brindley House Telephone Exchange. This may have been the only telephone exchange in the world, under which boats passed. Construction of Brindley House commenced in 1967 and was completed the following year. It was designed by D.K. McGowan. 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.

Gallery

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal with the BT Tower behind - before it was repainted in 2003.

ee also

* British Telecom microwave network
* BT Tower (disambiguation)
* List of highrise buildings in Birmingham, UK
* Huddersfield Narrow Canal Pylon for the only electricity pylon over a canal

References

External links

*mmuk phoetc|406540|287285|5
* [http://www.birminghamuk.com/bttower.htm BirminghamUK.com]
* [http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=155 Skyscrapernews.com's entry]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=110778 Emporis.com's entry]