Maintainence to keep wooden roof casettes fire safe would have been ’too onerous’ for HS2
Birmingham council’s planning committee has signed off 14 changes to designs for the city’s HS2 terminus at Curzon Street.
Proposals for the Grimshaw-designed station were originally approved in 2020 but the detailed design has evolved since then, leading to a new planning submission at the start of this year.
The most significant change was a change in materials to be used for the roof cassette and roof edge, which were previously meant to be made from timber and concrete respectively.
Both will now be made from aluminium.
The architects’ design and access statement explained that a new fire safety standard for stations had forced the change.
“The ongoing maintenance requirements to assure fire protection of the timber were too onerous for the operational railway,” it said.
“Visually the alternative aluminium coffered cassette panels still offer a similar warm and inviting appearance”.
Five concourse areas have been reconfigured to improve accessibility and passenger experience.
Curzon Street is already under construction and is being built by a joint venture of Mace and Spanish contractor Dragados.
No comments yet