Birmingham’s Renaissance: The City of 100 Quarters

Birmingham is poised for growth as it embarks on its next evolution. One of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the U.K. and the second largest, Birmingham has undergone a dramatic transformation in the past 25 years. As a key player in the U.K.’s global architectural landscape, Birmingham’s urban renaissance is rooted in the region’s culture, diversity, and ambitious nature.

Historically, Birmingham has embraced an urban philosophy that involves a ‘radical refresh’ approach, often with a ‘demolish and start again’ strategy. Although retention and repurposing suit certain types of assets, others may prove more challenging. While there are valid reasons to preserve existing buildings, the potential to reshape vibrant places, increase density, and deliver high-performing, sustainable, future-ready, and purpose-designed spaces may ultimately prove more compelling.

As Birmingham enters its next chapter and realises its potential to grow into a ‘city of 100 quarters,’ its success will depend on how well it balances revitalisation with preservation — bringing new life to underused areas while protecting the character, culture, and history that make the city unique. Striking this balance ensures Birmingham grows in a way that is inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in its own story.

Evolving Creative Districts

Birmingham’s transformation over the past few years has been marked by a focused drive towards urban regeneration, with a particular emphasis on the redevelopment of areas like our team’s former home in Digbeth. Historically seen as an industrial district, Digbeth is undergoing a revival driven by key developments and investment.

Despite past challenges, Digbeth continues to show signs of a bright future. The construction of High-Speed 2 (HS2), Britain’s new high-speed railway, will undoubtedly change the area’s trajectory, creating a much-needed sense of momentum and placing Digbeth on the map as a key area for future development. Digbeth’s growth as both a creative and media district, alongside its proximity to the new HS2 station, suggests that the area could soon become the city’s new cultural and economic epicentre, shifting the gravity of Birmingham’s development eastward and connecting with the future Smithfield district.

The Rise of Residential

Birmingham’s residential landscape is evolving rapidly alongside the transformation of areas like the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth. The city is now attracting major developers such as Moda Living, Berkeley St. Joseph, Patrizia, and Sphere Living, who are setting standards for quality. This shift reflects a broader move away from suburban living towards vibrant, centralised communities, supporting the vision of a 24-hour, 15-minute city.

This transformation is being driven not only by new developments, but also by the adaptive reuse of outdated office buildings, particularly in areas like Brindley Place, where developers such as CBRE and Hines are leading the charge. These conversions are adding much-needed housing stock and supporting the demand for urban living.

Inspired by successful European models, these approaches integrate residential, cultural, commercial, and recreational spaces to create a dynamic urban experience that reflects the city’s character and diversity. The blending of historic and emerging districts into a cohesive whole highlights Birmingham’s ambition to be a city that serves a wide range of lifestyles and needs.

The Next Generation of Talent

As Birmingham evolves, the next generation of designers, architects, and urban thinkers will be critical to shaping its future. Our connections with local institutions such as Coventry University, the University of Wolverhampton, and Birmingham City University allow us to play an active role in nurturing this talent. These students are not only being trained to enter the workforce, but are also being equipped to reimagine how the city looks, feels, and functions.

By engaging young designers in real-world challenges — from retrofitting historic buildings to envisioning inclusive public spaces — we’re ensuring that the city’s next phase of growth is shaped by those who know it best. In doing so, we balance preservation and revitalisation through education, passing on the values, insights, and context needed to evolve the built environment responsibly.

As we collaborate on master planning projects across the wider region, including Solihull, the Black Country, and Coventry, we’re thinking beyond individual buildings to shape connected, resilient urban systems. Designing with people, not just for them, means creating cities that reflect lived experiences, cultural richness, and a sense of place — qualities that Birmingham’s future leaders are uniquely positioned to understand and champion.

A Greener City

Sustainability and green spaces are increasingly critical in urban planning, and Birmingham is already ahead of the curve. As one of the greenest cities in Europe, Birmingham has a tremendous opportunity to expand its green spaces, especially in the city centre. Here, the balance between revitalisation and preservation is playing out in real time through the enhancement of historic parks and canals, alongside the creation of new, purpose-designed green spaces that reflect the needs of a growing urban population.

Looking towards the future, the city’s 2040 vision focuses on greening its streets, enhancing public spaces, and ensuring that the urban environment remains vibrant and dynamic. We have been collaborating with stakeholders on how more green areas could be woven into the city’s urban fabric, enhancing the overall quality of life for residents and visitors alike. We look forward to sharing more about this in the future.

Competing at a Different Level

The city has always been proud of its sporting traditions. However, we could be entering a golden era, not just in terms of success on the field, but also in attracting record-levels of inward investment and Central Government support. Whilst Aston Villa FC challenge at the highest level of European football, Birmingham City FC, backed by U.S.-based Knighthead, are investing £3bn to create the new Sports Quarter, which will include a new 60,000 seat stadium, major regeneration of East Birmingham, new homes, community facilities, and 8,400 new jobs.

The Sports Quarter is an example of devolution-in-action, where the Local Authority is working together with the Regional Mayor to channel Central Government support, which in turn has bolstered confidence in the city for U.S. investors. This exemplifies how major transformation can go hand-in-hand with placemaking — injecting scale and ambition into an area while remaining grounded in local identity, history, and community priorities.

Connecting Birmingham to the World

At the heart of all these developments lies connectivity. Birmingham’s local authorities have placed a significant emphasis on improving transportation links across the city. Through initiatives like the Metro extension, the city is preserving and enhancing its existing infrastructure, modernising and extending the tram network to better connect historic and emerging districts alike.

The incoming plans for HS2 will connect Birmingham to London with rapid rail connections, revolutionising the city’s accessibility and positioning it as a key hub for business, innovation, and cultural exchange. Both developments would not only promise faster travel times but also enable businesses to thrive, create jobs, and attract new residents to the city, providing Birmingham with a unique opportunity to showcase its full potential to the world.

Looking ahead, the next decade offers great promise for Birmingham. The city is positioning itself at the forefront of innovative industries such as data centres, power generation, and professional services. With Birmingham’s central location, excellent transportation links, and an exceptional talent pool, there are exciting opportunities for the city as it embarks on its next chapter. We look forward to its evolution, moving beyond the city of 1,000 trades and into the city of 100 quarters.