Affordable homes are planned in Birmingham for what could be the world’s first octagonal high-rise designed solely for residential purposes.
Comprising a mix of 346 new homes, the Octagon tower at the Paradise site in Birmingham will rise to 49 storeys, making it taller than the city’s BT Tower.
Primarily a build-to-rent project, the tower will incorporate a number of affordable homes for rent as part of the overall mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
Each one of the apartments will bear a 13m facet of the Octagon, a first ever for a residential development, while the overall building will incorporate a number of affordable homes for rent as part of the overall mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
The Octagon’s design offers homes with a larger than average outlook, bringing in daylight into the ‘radial’ arrangement of the internal spaces.
From a build perspective, the octagon features a lower-than-average wall-to-floor ratio, a central core to provide structural stability, and shorter distribution of services.
The Octagon will rise higher than Birmingham’s BT Tower
Dav Bansal, partner at Glenn Howells Architects, which designed the Octagon, said: “The horizontal expression of the façade enables the internal rooms to open up to panoramic views of the city and the residents will also enjoy access to a wellness hub, workout studios, and private lounges.
“With maximum eight apartments on a floor, the quality on offer is a perfect fit for Octagon.
“The setting within the city’s most ambitious mixed-use development gives Octagon a unique quality of life proposition and benefits from some amazing amenities.”
Bansal added: “Paradise is about many things, including re-connecting the city and adding to the life and vitality of the city centre.
“By providing new homes here we are making the most of what Paradise has to offer as well as helping the city meet its housing needs with a bespoke offer.”
Rob Groves, regional director at property developer Argent, which will be taking on the construction of the project, said: “Our ambition with Octagon is simple – to build one of the finest apartment schemes ever seen in the UK.
“Everything about the building – its height, the size of the apartments themselves and their design, the views and the location in the city centre – will be a first.”
Main image: Artist’s impression of the Octagon
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