Architects appointed to £1.9bn project

A host of architects have been appointed to a £1.9bn project aimed at helping regenerate an approximately 42-acre site in Birmingham city centre.The architects will work with market traders, local communities and businesses to design homes, workspaces and leisure and commercial spaces across the Smithfield Birmingham site.Alongside masterplanner Prior+Partners and David Kohn Architects, which was appointed to design a new home for the historic Birmingham markets following an international design competition, those appointed for the first phase of the project include dRMM and Intervention Architecture, Haworth Tompkins and Minesh Patel Architects, RCKa and Intervention Architecture.Birmingham-based Eastside Projects is also working in partnership with the teams, and is currently engaging with market traders and customers to help inform designs for the new market.Consultation on the masterplan will commence in March 2022. Smithfield will feature a festival square and cultural quarter, alongside business and leisure space, including hotels, cafés, restaurants and bars. These developments are expected to create 8,000 jobs.The plans also include space for more than 3,000 sustainable homes in a green setting, supported by a range of community facilities and Smithfield Park, which aims to improve wellbeing and biodiversity.Following consultation, a planning application for the masterplan and phase one will be submitted to Birmingham City Council.