Practice took over from design architect Howells for delivery of scheme
BDP has officially completed a refurbishment of the historic Tea Factory at Typhoo Wharf in Birmingham ahead of the building becoming the new Midlands headquarters of the BBC.
The project in Digbeth was designed by Howells up to RIBA stage 3 and delivered by BDP to completion for developers Stoford and The Gooch Estate, funded by Aviva Investors with support from Birmingham city council, and built by main contractor BAM.
Plans to reimagine the original 1930s industrial building as a broadcast centre known as the Tea Factory were submitted in 2022 with construction work starting in 2024.
The BBC will now complete an internal fit out of the building ahead of its planned opening in 2027. BBC production teams set to relocate to the building include Midlands Today, Radio WM, Radio 1’s Newsbeat and Asian Network.
BDP architect director Paul Mulligan said the scheme “brings together heritage and performance in a way that reflects both the character of Digbeth and the future of broadcasting”.
“Our approach has been to retain the strength and identity of the original building while introducing the flexibility, environmental performance and technical capability required by the BBC,” Mulligan said.
He added that the project “demonstrates how existing structures can be adapted to support highly serviced, future-facing workplaces while remaining connected to their context”.
The scheme includes a new double-height entrance foyer, a fully refurbished facade and has sought to strengthen connections to the surrounding streets and canals.
A central atrium runs through the heart of the building with flexible floorplates across the first and second floors providing space for a mix of uses including radio studios, TV production facilities, editing suites and shared space for meetings.
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