STEAMhouse at Birmingham City University

STEAMhouse is our latest project for Birmingham City University, and it’s a masterpiece of collaboration in both its purpose and delivery. We have delivered an inspired fit-out for this innovative facility, using Pagabo to accelerate procurement.

The STEAMhouse innovation center is the newest gem on BCU’s city center campus. Having initially worked on the developer led shell and core contract, we have recently delivered the Cat B fit-out following appointment by Birmingham City University (BCU) as lead consultant providing multi-disciplinary services.

STEAMhouse champions innovation and collaboration

BCU’s fantastic innovation center opened in October 2022, with the aim of encouraging the collaboration of the arts, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEAM) sectors.

Home to a multi-disciplinary community of entrepreneurs, businesses, academic researchers and students, STEAMhouse - located in the University’s City Centre campus - offers a wealth of support to companies of all sizes to boost growth through innovation to address commercial and societal challenges.

The new facility provides access to state-of-the-art technology, workspaces, event spaces and business advice for people across the region, supporting the progression of new ideas and creation of long-term opportunity. The STEAMhouse Incubator and Digital Innovation Hub provides opportunities for learning, growth and collaboration for entrepreneurs and start-up businesses. The building also houses the School of Computing & Digital Technology.

Regenerating Birmingham’s Eastside

The project is great news for Birmingham’s Eastside, as it regenerates the 120-year-old derelict Belmont Works building, variously used for the manufacture of bicycle parts linen clothing, bedsteads and pianos.

The building was badly damaged by fire in 2007 and lay derelict until it became part of the Eastside Locks development plan. An extension to the rear façade has provided much-needed upgrades and exciting new spaces, but many of the original features were retained.

An inspired fit-out

STEAMhouse was originally delivered to varying degrees of fit-out, with initial shell & core and Category A fit-out allowing the university to adapt for its evolving needs and develop its strategic brief for the building’s future projects. An early Category B fit-out of the ground and first floors rendered the building operational in early 2022.

We have completed the fit-out of academic, teaching and specialist spaces as well as the extensive Category B fit-out of further areas of the building. Complexities include the need to achieve a blend of commercial utilization and teaching facilities, in a very different mix of uses from BCU’s traditional academic spaces. The challenge was to achieve adaptability via the most palatable best value cost outcomes.

The open and permeable space to be created presented technical and cost challenges with engineering/acoustic solutions and with navigation routes around the building.

During the base-build, our team developed a model capable of delivering a buildable business case solution which met the multi-stakeholder needs, satisfying the university, funding bodies and commercial users.

The flexible layouts and structural solution lent themselves to remodeling, reducing the risk of increased costs in the future. The fit-out design reflects those early precedents and the need for robust and reusable space at an affordable cost. Moveable walls and flexible furniture solutions are used to good effect, with the ITC/AV solutions designed to support adaptability.

Pagabo

We used Pagabo to deliver a complete services proposal for the fit-out, enabling early mobilization of our design team. Early contractor engagement with the shell and core contractor resulted in swifter, more robust procurement and more readily obtainable cost advice.

Jonathan Oram, Head of Services at Pagabo, said: "We're delighted to have played our part in making the STEAMhouse project happen. Our Professional Services Framework is flexible and fully compliant for Birmingham City University, making their selection process much simpler. One of our trusted suppliers, AtkinsRéalis, can be accessed through Lot 1 of this framework so they can continue to deliver outstanding projects like the STEAMhouse scheme."

Our team’s role with BCU

AtkinsRéalis team has continued to support Birmingham City University with the development of its City Centre Campus, leading on a suite of technical services, and delivering some fantastic projects including Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.