Renaissance Plaque: Corner Block

Cornerblock, situated in Birmingham’s central business district, is a striking example of the city’s ability to repurpose and revitalise its commercial buildings to meet modern demands. 

Tale of two buildings
While not a Victorian landmark in the same vein as some of Birmingham’s older structures, Cornerblock’s history reflects the evolution of office spaces and urban regeneration in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The building originally stood as two distinct structures: 2 Cornwall Street and 8-10 Cornwall Street. These were separate office blocks, typical of the post-war and late 20th-century commercial architecture that characterised many of Birmingham’s city centre developments.  In the mid-2010s, a significant redevelopment project was undertaken to merge and transform these two separate blocks into a single, cohesive, and high-specification office building. The vision was to create a modern, Grade A office environment that would appeal to contemporary businesses looking for flexible and well-appointed workspace in a prime city centre location. The project involved a substantial internal reconfiguration and a complete overhaul of the exterior.

Symbol of adaptation
The redevelopment, completed in 2017, saw the two buildings effectively ‘stitched’ together and rebranded as ‘Cornerblock’. The exterior was given a refreshed, contemporary facade, while the interior was reimagined to offer large, open-plan floorplates, state-of-the-art services, and enhanced communal areas, including a modern reception space. The redesign also focused on sustainability, incorporating features to improve energy efficiency.