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Centenary Square is a public square on Broad Street in central Birmingham, England, named in 1989 in celebration of the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status (in 1889).

The area was purchased in the early 20th century by the council for the creation of a grand civic scheme to include new council offices, mayor's residence, public library and concert hall. The scheme was abandoned after the arrival of World War II with only half of the planned Baskerville House having been built.

The square is a work of art in itself, with paving, railings and lamps designed by artist Tess Jaray. Work on the square cost £3.4 million.

The square was the centrepiece of the millennium celebrations for the city with singer, Cliff Richard lighting a beacon known as The Flame of Hope, which stood between Baskerville House and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Problems with funding resulted in the flame regularly being turned off, and it was eventually removed.

The Library of Birmingham is currently being built between Baskerville House and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Mecanoo won the design competition in August 2008, and work began to prepare the land for building work in November 2009 before planning permission was granted. Final planning permission was granted in November/December 2009 and work began in January 2010. A large section of Centenary Square is now therefore shut off to the public whilst building work takes place. The Spirit and Enterprise Fountain has since been removed.

Features

All sculptures in the square were paid for by the "Per Cent For Arts" scheme which only pays toward building costs if public sculpture forms at least 1% of the entire building project.

• Boulton, Watt and Murdoch (statue, re-gilded September 2006)
• Forward!, a sculpture by Raymond Mason which was unveiled in 1991. It cost £275,000. It was destroyed by arson on 17 April 2003. It was locally known as the "Lurpak sculpture".
• Birmingham Rep theatre
• Industry and Genius (sculpture), in front of Baskerville House
• International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall
• Hall of Memory
• Hyatt Regency Hotel
• In 2005 a Ferris wheel known locally as the Birmingham Wheel was constructed in the square to provide views for the public. The wheel finally closed on 5 September 2006 and was sold to a company in Australia.
• Spirit & Enterprise (fountain, designed by Tom Lomax) This fountain is currently removed.
• 1914 statue of King Edward VII by Albert Toft, moved to the square in November 2010.

Sources

1. Malcolm Miles (2003). Urban Futures: Critical Commentaries on Shaping the City. Routledge. p. 83. ISBN 0415266939. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
2. "Building work at £193m Library of Birmingham poses 'safety risk to pedestrians'". Birmingham Mail.
3. "Work Begins on Library of Birmingham". Birmingham City Council. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
4. Hazel Duffy (1995). Competitive Cities: Succeeding in the Global Economy. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0419198407.
5. Liam Kennedy (2004). Remaking Birmingham: The Visual Culture Of Urban Regeneration. Routledge. ISBN 041528838X.
6. Sculptor surveys statue damage - BBC News, 23 April 2003 (Retrieved 12 July 2007)
7. BBC: You'll either love it or hate it - July 23, 1999

• Chris Upton (1993). A History of Birmingham. ISBN 0-85033-870-0.

External links

• Birmingham City Council
• BirminghamUK.com
• Digital Ladywood - Picture of the Forward! sculpture

52°28′44″N 1°54′31″W / 52.4790°N 1.9087°W / 52.4790; -1.9087

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