Selfridges Birmingham

This Birmingham-based department store is a truly remarkable example of a notion called blobitecture. Its form escapes the usual structure of edges and walls into a curved and rounded sculpture, one could even call organic. Not only its unique shape and aluminium façade discs, but also the location right on the edge of the city centre between the rail and bus stations, makes it instantly noticeable in Birmingham's skyline. The building is situated just by St. Martin's Church in the Bullring shopping area, which creates a kind of awkward relationship between the historic sight of faith and more current but also glorious temple of consumption. Inside, you can find an impressive criss-cross of white escalators around the main atrium, surrounded by approximately 25.000 m2 of retail store area. What is more, on the top floor, the building is joined with a parking lot on the opposite side of the street through a walking tunnel, which makes it look like it has a tongue sticking out of it.