CBSO Centre, Birmingham, UK

CBSO Centre, located in Birmingham's city center, was built as the home for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1998. The Centre complements the facilities of Symphony Hall, and the International Convention Centre, and provides rehearsal and administrative facilities for the orchestra, its players, and its choruses.

Within the CBSO Centre building is a 300-seat flexible auditorium for classical concerts, performances of jazz, opera, dance, theater, recordings and broadcasts. In addition, the hall is also regularly used for meetings, dinner dances, award presentations, conferences, receptions, poetry recitals, exhibitions and workshops. The venue's acoustics are highly adjustable; the facility is equipped with textile banners, which can be lowered to cover much of the wall space. Manually operated "scissor lift rostra" may be used to create a platform - with or without risers - or a raked auditorium. Linked upholstered chairs can be arranged in a variety of formats.

The Orchestra's unique rehearsal space is appropriate for full symphony orchestra and choral works, as well as recital series. When the Orchestra is on tour, the CBSO Centre is often booked by smaller ensembles and outside presenters.

Artec was asked to provide the design and planning services for this facility subsequent to their consulting work for the Symphony Hall, among other venues within International Convention Centre in Birmingham. The architect for CBSO Centre was Associated Architects, Birmingham.