Editing Birmingham Central Library (section)

{{short description|Former main public library in Birmingham, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}{{Use British English|date=June 2018}}{{Infobox building
| name = Birmingham Central Library
| status = Demolished
| image = BCL 20131106.jpg
| caption = Birmingham Central Library in 2013
| building_type = [[Public library]]
| architectural_style = [[Brutalist architecture|Brutalist]]
| structural_system = 
| cost = 4.7 million [[Pound sterling]]
| location = [[Chamberlain Square]], [[Birmingham]], [[England]]
| owner = [[Birmingham City Council]]
| coordinates = {{coord|52|28|49.07|N|1|54|17.17|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| start_date = April 1969
| completion_date = December 1973
| opening_date = 12 January 1974
| closing_date = 29 June 2013
| demolition_date = 2016
| height = {{convert|22.6|m|ft}}
| top_floor = 
| floor_count = 8
| floor_area = {{convert|224918|sqft|m2}}
| main_contractor = [[Sir Robert McAlpine]]
| architect = [[John Madin]]
| architecture_firm = John Madin Design Group
| structural_engineer = [[Arup Group Limited|Ove Arup & Partners]]
| services_engineer = R.W. Gregory & Partners
| civil_engineer = 
| other_designers = 
| quantity_surveyor = L.C. Wakeman & Partners
| awards = 
| url = 
}}

'''Birmingham Central Library''' was the main public library in [[Birmingham]], [[England]], from 1974 until 2013, replacing a library opened in 1865 and rebuilt in 1882. For a time the largest non-national library in Europe,<ref>{{cite news|title=Preston bus station on UK monument 'at risk' list|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15180978|publisher=BBC News|date=2011-10-05|access-date=2011-11-05}}; {{cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/birmingham-library/|title=Birmingham Central Library|access-date=2011-11-05|date=2009-11-23|publisher=English Heritage}}</ref> it closed on 29 June 2013 and was replaced by the [[Library of Birmingham]]. The building was demolished in 2016, after 41 years, as part of the redevelopment of [[Paradise Circus, Birmingham|Paradise Circus]] by [[Argent Group]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-30408943|publisher=BBC News|title=Birmingham Central Library demolition set to begin in January|date=10 December 2014 }}</ref> Designed by architect [[John Madin]] in the [[Brutalist architecture|brutalist style]], the library was part of an ambitious development project by [[Birmingham City Council]] to create a civic centre on its new [[A4400 road|Inner Ring Road]] system; however, for economic reasons significant parts of the master plan were not completed, and quality was reduced on materials as an economic measure. Two previous libraries occupied the adjacent site before Madin's library opened in 1974. The previous library, designed by [[John Henry Chamberlain]], opened in 1883 and featured a tall [[Clerestory|clerestoried]] reading room. It was demolished in 1974 after the new library had opened.

Despite the original vision not being fully implemented, the library gained architectural praise as an icon of British [[brutalism]] with its stark use of concrete, bold geometry, inverted [[ziggurat]] sculptural form and monumental scale. Its style was seen at the time as a symbol of social progressivism.<ref name="AB">{{Citation | url = http://www.wmf.org/project/british-brutalism | title = British Brutalism – World Monuments Fund|date=September 2012}}</ref> Based on this, [[English Heritage]] applied but failed twice for the building to gain listed status. However, due to strong opposition from Birmingham City Council the building gained immunity from listing until 2016.<ref name="AC">{{Citation | url = http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/birmingham-library/ | title = Birmingham Central Library|date=23 November 2009| publisher =English Heritage}}</ref><ref name="AD">{{Citation|url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Library-of-Birmingham/PageLayout&cid=1223092589081&pagename=BCC/Common/Wrapper/Wrapper|title=Immunity from Listing|date=2011|publisher=Birmingham City Council|access-date=31 May 2021|archive-date=9 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809121557/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Library-of-Birmingham%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092589081&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2010–11, Central Library was the second-most visited library in the country, with 1,197,350 visitors.<ref name="pmsa6">{{Citation| url = http://www.cipfastats.net/news/newsstory.asp?content=14508| title = Latest Public Library Statistics Released| date = October 2011| publisher = CIPFA| access-date = 12 November 2011| archive-date = 29 October 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195433/http://www.cipfastats.net/news/newsstory.asp?content=14508| url-status = dead}}</ref>