The project will extend the reach of Birmingham city centre eastwards by half a kilometre and help to drive regeneration in the Digbeth area of the city. Two major new public spaces and two station concourses will be created as part of the project, together with new pedestrian and cycle links. Philip Hardwick’s Grade I Listed 1838 London to Birmingham railway terminus building will also be brought back to life as part of the proposals.

Grimshaw Partner Neven Sidor describes the design as reflecting West Midlands’ industrial heritage through21st century means, conveying humanity to its public spaces through a finely modulated arched structural frame spanning 70m interspersed with warm soffit”

Sustainability and carbon neutral objectives have guided design thinking. The roof structure is highly efficient with tie forces carried through the concourse floor. Natural light penetrates both public and back of house areas and surrounding landscape utilising porous surfaces or ‘rain gardens’. Photovoltaic panels offset energy demands.

Inclusive design is also at the heart of the proposals, with a clearly laid out progression of intuitive spaces, open and accessible information ’hubs’, quiet zones, children’s play areas and generously sized washroom facilities.

Grimshaw’s contribution to HS2’s Station Common Design Elements programme is also embedded in the scheme, which aims to achieve a consistent identity for repeated components across the national HS2 network. An example of design innovation is a new multi-function ‘totem’ which clusters lighting, CCTV, customer information, wifi and public address speakers in one unit, allowing safe and easy maintenance at low-level.