David Kohn Architects to design Birmingham’s Smithfield Market

David Kohn Architects has won an international competition to design a new building for Smithfield Market in Birmingham, the UK.

The team led by David Kohn Architects was chosen by construction firm Lendlease. In November 2018, Lendlease was named as a redevelopment partner for the 17ha former wholesale market by the Birmingham City Council.

The Smithfield Market project is part of Lendlease’s larger 300,000m² Birmingham Smithfield masterplan.

Expected to be completed in 2025, the new markets will be the attraction of the £1.5bn Smithfield development.

Under the plan, the Smithfield development project will feature a new public square and integrated public transport. In addition, it will include more than 2,000 homes surrounding a public park.

David Kohn Architects’ team includes Birmingham-based Eastside Projects alongside landscape designers Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, Mark El-khatib, Charcoalblue, Price & Myers, WSP, Urban Space Management, Plan A Consultants and Max Fordham.

The competition was organised by Colander with the aim to find designers for the new canopied trading area. The design will include a gateway civic square, with accessible green roofscape and a workshop structure, rising from four to eight storeys.

The contest saw 75 submissions and attracted interest from international names such as BIG and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

The jury panel included city council leader Ian Ward and architect Amanda Levete.

In a press statement, David Kohn Architects said: “We are looking forward to working with Lendlease, Birmingham City Council, local businesses and the wider community on such an important project for the city.”