Castle win West Midlands RICS Social Impact Awards Heritage Category

May 1, 2020

Castle are thrilled to announce that the Emporium project in Birmingham has won the Heritage Category of the RICS Social Impact Awards 2020.

Castle Construction Consultants acted as Project Manager and Cost Manager for CZero on the development of new Student Residential Accommodation and the refurbishment of a Grade 2 Listed Building at Bartholomew Row in Birmingham.

The whole scheme consists of the refurbishment of the old Christopher Wray Lighting Factory into ancillary student facilities, artist studios and workshops, duplex studio units and new office space, alongside a bold new tower with 166 nr high quality student apartments. In addition Leisure
space has been created at the ground floor of the tower.

The head judge for the West Midlands, Bryony Martin said on The Emporium: “The project took over seven years of planning and negotiation to complete. The historic redundant factory buildings were in very poor condition and were not financially viable to convert or restore on their own. Construction of a new building on adjacent land, provided the financial balance to create a sustainable project. Saved from demolition, the historic significance of the site has been retained, with a new high standard building being constructed, seamlessly blending with the historic buildings, reflecting the evolvement of the site.”