The new Midland Arts Centre is now on site — only a month after it received planning permission from Birmingham City Council. The £12.5 million joint project between Chetwoods Architects and Branson Coates Architects will completely overhaul the existing cluster of arts buildings to create a venue capable of hosting a full-scale arts programme. The design objectives were to rationalise an over- complicated site, and to increase its sense of scale and identity. In addition to leading refurbishment works, the architects have designed a three storey building featuring a 28sq m gallery, exhibition space, café, restaurant and bar. The new building, will replace the existing structures and walkway, and brings together theatres, and dance and art studios. Aluminium cladding will be used for the new scheme’s facade above a glazed ground floor. The centre courtyard is set to be landscaped, while a new pedestrian bridge will provide access to the arts centre over a nearby river. Plans for the revival of the arts centre were initiated over a decade ago when Branson Coates won a competition to design a new centre for the site, but the project had to be scaled down after arts funding was reduced.