Sustainable shared office provider x+why will open at Brindleyplace in Birmingham this spring.
Occupying 40,000 sq ft of space at Foundry – the new name for 6 Brindleyplace – x+why will be making its first foray into the UK regional market after establishing itself as a bespoke alternative to other shared office platforms in London.
The move also marks a new start for 6 Brindleyplace as Foundry, a highly sustainable, smart, enabled and innovative new working space in the heart of the estate.
Foundry is based on the site of former factories, warehouses and foundries that helped make Birmingham and the West Midlands the cradle of the Industrial Revolution.
In the past, the area was a key industrial location for businesses that needed to trade effectively and transport their goods by road, rail and canal to other parts of the country and further afield via ports such as Gloucester and Liverpool.
Its reincarnation as Brindleyplace in the 1990s made this part of the city synonymous with new jobs, skills and ways of working.
At Foundry, new reception space will warmly welcome occupiers and their staff directly from Brindleyplace’s Central Square with its open space and cafes and restaurants, into the building. This underlines the contemporary fit out which is now underway as part of a multi million pound investment. Thanks to the work of architects JRA and contractor Intex Projects, the fit-out work will complete in summer this year.
x+why recently became a certified B corporation – meaning it is committed to reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit.
Brindleyplace landlord Hines, the international real estate firm, has partnered with x+why to operate the first, second and third floors at Foundry, which provides a fully serviced and managed work environment. This will help meet the growing demand for flexible workspace for businesses in the Midlands, and also meet the needs of existing tenants.
To underscore the building’s green credentials, Foundry is also currently working towards the RICS-accredited SKA Silver rating, demonstrating an active commitment to sustainability.
Rupert Dean, CEO of x+why, said: ‘Brindleyplace is a fantastic location centred on wellbeing and sustainability, two of our biggest drivers and drivers for our tenants. It also has a wonderful environment that sits comfortably in its own part of the city as well as being an integral part of the city and region’s larger business eco-system.
‘There is already a deep-rooted sense of community established at the estate and we can’t wait to bring our tenants to a location which offers high-quality workspace with a host of brilliant amenities and opportunities on its doorstep.
‘Moving to Birmingham and Brindleyplace is a hugely exciting step for us at x+why, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming tenants to what will be an innovative and design-led space early in 2022.’
Raj Rajput, Managing Director – Asset Management, UK, at Hines, said: ‘The repositioning of 6 Brindleyplace as Foundry marks a new era for a fantastic building at the core of our estate and the heart of Birmingham.
‘With x+why opening soon, we have a wonderful opportunity to show what the estate is all about and how working here can transform an organisation and their performance. By working in partnership with x+why we are looking forward to welcoming more new tenants and their staff to the wider estate.’
David Magyar, Director, John Robertson Architects, said: ‘We are delighted to have been appointed as architect to assist both Hines and X+Why with the repurposing of what was already a high quality office building as a brand new business hub for SMEs and organisations from across Birmingham and the region looking for a more meaningful work environment.
‘Our experience of creating more sustainable and aspirational working environments is being applied here at Foundry as we help change this building for the benefit of all of its future users.’