The Arts Council England | Birmingham, UK 2011

As part of a revisioning of a number its buildings, the Arts Council England sought to update its Birmingham offices to fit new, more flexible and more public uses. And, importantly, this interior work couldn’t compete with the heritage architecture of this listed former industrial building.

As such, the design was kept clean and simple, in warm wood and white. A diversity of spaces have been designed, and were unified through materiality and style: for intimate groupings, a soft cushioned compartment; an open area for children or informal meetings; and a flexible space for dining, lectures or larger gatherings with tables that lift to lie flat against the walls.

To complement these more open and fluid spaces, formal meeting and lecture rooms have been arranged off a ramped circulation spine, with acoustic separation provided by specialist glass to maintain visual continuity.

This is Moxon’s third project for the ACE, and the largest.