Professional services firm Arup is relocating from Solihull to Birmingham, bring 1,000 of its workers to the very edge of the city’s ‘golden mile’ in Westside.
The multinational firm, which provides engineering, architecture, design, planning and project management services, is moving its third largest office to an area known as Paradise Birmingham.
Arup’s new city campus will be set across 68,000 sq ft of space over three floors of One Centenary Way, based on the new pedestrianised route leading from Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square.
The new 13-storey building is due to complete in early 2023, and Arup is the first occupier to commit to taking space.
Mike Olley, general manager for Westside BID, said: “It has been really encouraging to see all the progress in creating such an impressive new gateway to Westside from the main city centre.
“To now have this huge commitment from Arup to bring 1,000 staff to their new offices in One Centenary Way is a huge boost for the surrounding areas.
“We look forward to welcoming all Arup’s workers who will be able to enjoy Centenary Square and all the entertainment venues here on Westside that they can explore before, during lunch and after their hard-working days.”
Mark Jones, Birmingham office leader at Arup, said: “Our investment in this move to Paradise Birmingham in 2023 represents a major commitment to the region.
“We are incredibly proud of this new location and the role it will play in bringing 1,000 jobs to the city centre.
“Our new office has been designed by us and for us and will feature advanced technologies enabling us to operate in a highly efficient way.
“One Centenary Way is very well connected, has unbeatable public transport links and we are excited to be co-investing in the city’s first cycle hub.
“Being much closer to our clients is vital, and we hope to create new ways of working with others by using intelligent office space and sharing our workplace in an open, welcoming and inspiring way.”
Mr Jones added: “We are hopeful that our new office will inspire others and be a global example of outstanding sustainability.”
The Paradise development is being driven by Paradise Circus Limited Partnership (PCLP), a private-public joint venture with Birmingham City Council, with MEPC as the development manager.
Rob Groves, regional development director with MEPC, said: “This is a very significant pre-let for Birmingham’s latest landmark building.
“One Centenary Way has already benefited from the input of the Arup team, and to now welcome the same Arup team to the building they helped to create is therefore a huge vote of confidence, not just in Paradise, but in Birmingham city centre.
“Arup is also showing the way and leading by example by creating a more sustainable workplace of the future in the very heart of the country.”
▪ Main picture: Rob Groves, regional development director with MEPC (left), and Mark Jones, Birmingham office leader at Arup, at the One Centenary Way construction site in Birmingham
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