Innovative design ideas and construction techniques are playing a key part in the regeneration of some of Birmingham 's most cosmopolitan quarters.

Bauhaus is cited by architects Kinetic AIU as the main inspiration for a residential scheme – complete with a garden oasis overlooking the Hurst Street section of Southside – that is being grafted on to the Arcadian Centre to replace the disused UGC cinema complex.

Rival architects D5 have opted for exposed steel work and exposed lighting and cabling in their award-winning design for The Afro Caribbean Millennium Centre in Winson Green, one of Birmingham's grittier neighbourhoods and one of the most socially deprived areas in England.

And although the schemes are separated by more than a few miles, the emphasis on design is strong in both cases.

Kinetic director Bob Ghosh picks up the point, referring to his Colmore Row-based firm's concept for On Course Developments.

“Culturally, this is one of the richest parts of the city and surrounded by excellent amenities like the Bullring and New Street station,” he says, putting his ideas into context.

“The Southside area also connects into other significant regeneration zones, such as the Irish Quarter, the markets area and Eastside”.

He hopes that Kinetic's plans for the ex-cinema site will help to energise the quarter and safeguard the future of existing and proposed entertainment and retail uses.

Planning permission is already in the bag and, using innovative ideas such as modular construction, the scheme could be complete as early as 2006.

“To turn the site over to residential use was not the most obvious choice but, after working with an imaginative client and the city planners and urban designers, we came up with a bold and innovative solution,” enthuses Mr Ghosh.

“The structural constraints of the car park prevented us from building too high. However, by intelligent planning, we will create 80 new apartments and a new restaurant.”

While all around multi-storey living is going up, the idea of a two-level low rise development with an amazing garden was highly appealing. “The façade of the proposed building is assembled of a series of layers, including fully glazed screens, generous balconies and retractable shutters for privacy and sunshade – the sort of treatment that you are more likely to find in a housing scheme in mainland Europe .

“While we had to limit the number of floors, we felt it was important to maximise the quality of internal space. We therefore designed the apartments with higher ceilings than usual and open-plan living areas, similar to loft apartments which we have recently worked on.

“I think it will attract a more diverse type of resident who would fit the colourful demography of the area. The scheme also incorporates a proportion of apartments which will be sold at a discounted rate”.

The target market for the scheme is envisaged to be anyone from late 20s right up to retirement – people who will, according to Mr Ghosh, appreciate the proximity to where it's all happening.

“We've dubbed it Immersion Living because it's for those who really want to locate themselves in the midst of all the cultural action,” says Mr Ghosh.