"MASTERPIECE" MADIN BIMINGHAM

11-09-2007

The work of Birmingham architect John Madin- whose work includes the city's threatened Central Library- is being celebrated in a unique film show on Friday night as part of Artsfest.

It all kicks off with a screening of a 30 minute, black and white documentary from the "Six Men" series, originally screened on BBC2 in 1965.

There's evocative footage of Brum in the mid-60's as well as shots of Madin describing how he designed his first buildings in Edgbaston and presenting his master plan for Dawley (later Telford) New Town at a public meeting

That's followed by a slide show created from Alan Clawley's "Back to The Modern" exhibition, depicting the background and development of the Central Library which opened in 1974.

Architectural historian Andy Foster rounds things off with "A Guided Tour"- illustrating the Library's "remarkable handling of internal space."

Foster comments: "The Central Library starts where most other Birmingham buildings stop. Here is a masterpiece in front of our eyes, and yet every influential person in Birmingham wants to pull it down."

The show is at the Library Theatre, Birmingham starting at 6pm on Friday September 14.

(To see John Madin talking about Birmingham Central Library on Stirrer TV click here)

And to see developer Gary Taylor who wants it demolished click here).

For our most recent report on the planned demolition of the Central Library, click here )

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