Birmingham

Spotty

A close up of the discs covering the Selfridges building.

Patterned Selfridges

A wider look at the rows upon rows of discs covering the Selfridges building at the Bullring, Birmingham.

Up the Cube

Looking almost directly up the wall of The Cube along the canal in central Birmingham. A hot day with many windows open.

Camouflaged

The middle level of the Library of Birmingham has a balcony with a garden. There is a smaller garden even higher up. Two people look over the edge down at Centenary Square.

Beneath the Circles

Looking up the wall behind the lattice of circles covering the Library of Birmingham. Nice vanishing point, but the symmetry has been spoilt slightly by being too close to the edge of the building, so you can see the circles on the side wall. Another time - move to the middle of the building!

Books in the Round

The view from the fourth floor of the Library, looking down into the floors below. An impressive space.

Down a Level

Moving back from the fourth floor and another view into the rotunda in the middle of the library. So much natural light for such a big building.

Studying

A bit too heavily cropped this becuse I had the wide-angle lens on, but an interesting shot of the view out the window while the guy sits and studies.

Looking Up

A final glance up as I find myself back on the first floor, the "chimney" atop the building gives an impressive amount of natural light as do other windows through the building. Truly an impressive building.

Grand Central Reflections

A look up at Grand Central and the imposing mirrored building. Looks a mess if you ask me, but nobody did...

Reflective

Wavy lines above New Street Central / Grand Central, lots of reflections on the new polished surface.

Upside Down

A commuter heads into New Street Station while another pauses for a cigarette by the big sign. This is looking UP at the mirrored ceiling...!

Grand Central

The new look for New Street Station is impressive at the top level, much less so when you get to the platforms and I'm undecided about the reflective shell outside. Big and airy up here with lots of shops and restaurants. Need more time to shoot all the angles.

Going Up

The view right to the top of the Library of Birmingham, the lift shaft going to the top floor in the giant building in Centenary Square.

Bronze Bull

The mascot/logo/centerpiece of The Bullring is this large bronze bull outside the centre. Looks especially moody at night with the neon lights around reflecting on it.

Red Bull is Angry

The Bull sculpture outside the entrance to The Bullring shopping centre looks angry when the bright adverts behind glow red.

Blue and Orange

The Selfridges building is not lit at night, but picks up the streetlights below nicely and makes for an interesting colour palette.

Infinity Hoops

The outside of the Library is an intricate metalwork of circles and hoops, all reflecting on the glass of the main building.

To The Light

Library Roof, Shakespearian Ceiling

The Library of Birmingham is super modern - only opened in 2013. So at the top we find the Shakespeare Memorial Room, created in 1882 to hold the Shakespeare Memorial Library. The room has been reassembled in the modern library and is an incredible contrast to the rest of the building.

Lift to Main Levels

The very top of the Library narrows dramatically and is almost like a chimney - but for light.

Skylight

Not sure the purpose of the spots on the wall, but this is the top of the Library and the light floods in from here down into the library.