The Octagon, the c. €130.9m Birmingham’s tallest building, backed by City Developments Ltd of Singapore (CDL), has ‘topped out’, marking the highest point of construction.
The Octagon will be the tallest pure octagonal residential tower, reaching 49 floors and 155m. It will offer residents unparalleled views across the city when the first Build to Rent (BTR) apartments become available in late summer 2025 after a three-year build programme.
The construction has been undertaken by Midgard, part of the JRL Group, and has been designed by the team at Birmingham architects Howells.
Neil McGinty, director at CDL, said: “The original investment we made in the city with The Octagon was rightly recognised as one of the largest pieces of FDI made in the UK regions in recent years. That original investment has now come to fruition as we underline our commitment to Birmingham as a world-class, international destination with a strong regional economy. The Octagon is also about creating a new landmark for the city of Birmingham. By building some of the finest city centre homes ever seen in the UK, the building establishes a powerful statement of intent for the city. As a high-profile skyscraper with a world-first design as well as highly sustainable ethos, The Octagon will become an important part of the city’s skyline for years to come."
The building’s 360-degree design openly addresses each part of the city and offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, all enjoying spectacular views through the 10.5m wide windows on each elevation.
Ross Fittall, Commercial Development Director at Paradise asset and development manager MEPC, said: “The topping out of The Octagon is a key moment not just for Paradise, but for the whole city which can rightly take pride in this new landmark. It is a celebration of what has been an excellent collaborative effort between the design, delivery and construction teams and an exemplary build contract undertaken with care and commitment by Midgard, its staff, and subcontractors, which has led us to hold today’s event. We’re delivering a highly recognisable landmark for our city that will build on Birmingham’s growing reputation both at home and abroad, and provide hundreds of much-needed new homes for the city. The Octagon is an integral piece of the next phase of Paradise that is also delivering new commercial buildings and public realm and which underlines the true mixed-use offer of Paradise as a place to live, work and visit all year round."
The pair of tower cranes on site reached their final height of 189 metres earlier this year – more than twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Kevin Keegan, director of contractor Midgard, said: “Midgard is very proud to be delivering this landmark for the city and today is a really important milestone for us. It is a chance to reflect on the expertise and wide-ranging skills of the whole team actively working together to deliver this complex building. As a major contractor active in Birmingham, we look forward to completing the building over the next year as fit-out and completion works continue to take place, ready for residents to move in during late summer 2025."
Written by Leon Goldwater for Europe Real Estate.
Europe Real Estate — an overview of real estate developments in European countries.
