| The Sentinels | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Residential |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Location | Holloway Circus,Birmingham,England |
| Completed | 1971 |
| Height | 90m |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 31 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Bryant's Ltd |
The Sentinels are two 90 metre tallresidentialtower blocks on Holloway Head inBirmingham,England. The two towers, called Clydesdale Tower and Cleveland Tower, are both 31 storeys tall and were part of a major regeneration andcouncil home building scheme followingWorld War II which in the 1960s and 1970s saw the construction of hundreds of tower blocks. Originally built and operated by the City of Birmingham, the buildings were part of a stock transfer from Birmingham local authority to Optima Community Association in 1999, and today the buildings are owned by Citizenhousing association (itself an amalgamation of several West Midlands housing associations).[1] The Sentinels were the tallest purely residential tower blocks in the city until the completion of the 102 metre tall skyscraper Bank Tower 2 in 2019. They are also surpassed by the 132 metre tall residential tower known asThe Mercian located on Broad Street with 42 floors.
The tower blocks were the brainchild of the Chairman of Birmingham's House Building and HousingManagement Committees returning from a visit toChicago to witness the opening of theMarina City development which consists of two 61-storey towers.[2] The councillors decided that Birmingham needed a development similar to this and in 1965, plans began to surface for the construction oftwin towers at Holloway Head to overlook the new ring road.[2]
After discussions over height, it was decided that the tower blocks should be 32 storeys tall, one storey taller than the Red Road tower blocks inGlasgow,Scotland.[2] It was decided to construct them out ofconcrete, which was common among tower blocks in the city during that time. They were designed byC.Bryant & Son.[2] and both towers were identical though angled differently to provide a different perspective to each block.
The project was approved in 1967[3] and construction of the towers commenced immediately. Cleveland Tower was completed in 1970[4] and Clydesdale Tower in 1971.[5] Upon their opening, they had 488 flats.[3]
Recent changes to housing legislation by the incomingConservative government allowed the Council to offer many of the flats on a costrent basis to those not on thecouncil housing waiting list. The flats thus initially attracted a much wider range of tenants than would usually be found in ahigh rise council block, including the actressNoele Gordon (who appreciated their closeness to the ATV television studios) and manygay men who found it convenient for the nearbygay bars.
Although changes to the Council's letting policy subsequently ended cost rent lettings, the Sentinels have always enjoyed a wider range of residents than many other blocks and remain popular.
During the height of theHIV/AIDS crisis the number of gay men living in the Sentinels provoked hysteria in the media with thetabloidDaily Star interviewing one new resident who said that she wore protective gloves when touching the buttons on the lift in fear of contracting the disease.[6]
In 1999, residents of The Sentinels together with four other council owned estates, voted to transfer their homes into the ownership of an independent housing association, Optima Community Association. Optima then embarked on an extensive refurbishment programme as part of a wider regeneration scheme in theAttwood Green area in Birmingham.
The project at The Sentinels involved replacing windows, kitchens, lifts, refurbishing the communal areas and improving security. A new entrance was constructed as well as a roof feature, lighting scheme, which illuminates the building a blue light at night, and the addition of new cladding to the exterior of the building.
In 2004, the Sentinels Residents Association submitted a petition to Birmingham City Council complaining about waste facilities. They also complained about a man, who had previously threatened suicide, being rehoused on a high floor of one of the towers.[7]
52°28′28″N1°54′05″W / 52.47449°N 1.90132°W /52.47449; -1.90132
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
