Waterside Regeneration company ISIS and Birmingham City Council have today announced Kinetic AIU as the successful company that will masterplan Birmingham's Warwick Bar area with a vision for it to be an exemplar for sustainable development. The judging panel made up from representatives from Birmingham City Council, ISIS, British Waterways and MADE the Architecture Centre for the West Midlands Region were hugely impressed with Kinetic AIU's approach to the unique surroundings of the 1.9hectare (4.56 acre) site.

The proposed uses for Warwick Bar include: a film centre and auditorium, an art gallery of international stature, a hotel, up to 600 new homes, flexible business space cafes, bars, shops and restaurants. Kinetic AIU won the contract from a shortlist of seven international practices with their exciting approach to waterside development and a strong sense of environment and distinctiveness of place. The competition was facilitated by MADE which received over 45 responses to the competition to provide a blueprint to regenerate the historic area.

The winner will officially be revealed at a special celebration at MADE's new home at 122 Fazeley Street in Birmingham at 6.30pm on Wednesday Nov 23rd. The evening reception, that will be attended by key stakeholders in the regions' design-led regeneration, will include presentations by Mark Ryder, Chief Executive of ISIS, Karen Yeomans, Corporate Director Advantage West Midlands, Glenn Howells MADE chair and Julia Ellis, MADE Director. The event provides an opportunity to see all seven of the shortlisted concepts which will then be on display to the public by appointment at MADE's new home at the heart of Warwick Bar: a former Canal Company office building dating from the 1840s.

ISIS Regeneration Director, Mike Finkill, said: ”The standard of applications we received from the seven shortlisted agencies was of the highest order. It was a tough decision to decide on one particular approach. Kinetic AIU demonstrated innovation and creativity and a very practical approach to the process – it was an excellent response to the brief.

Director of Kinetic AIU, Bob Ghosh said: We are surprised but delighted to be selected for the Warwick Bar project. When we started the design process a couple of months ago, we were somewhat daunted by the list of international competitors, but this gave a good indication that ISIS were demanding a world class response to what we believe is one of the finest waterside sites in the country. However, we had a strong yet simple idea for the site, which will create an intimate network of carefully crafted streets and squares, which have a dynamic relationship with the canals and Birmingham's forgotten river. Our strategy for the public spaces is to reveal the layers of the site's rich industrial history, where buildings 'grow' out of a complex landscape. The other main facet of our vision is to realise the opportunity to create a diverse mixed community, which seamlessly knits into the rest of Eastside. It is genuinely refreshing to meet a client who has a long term commitment to the city and the difficult challenges of effectively building a new community. They also have an intelligent charter for sustainability. ISIS, for example, is keen to test a carbon neutral scheme, where most other developers are looking to exploit loopholes to avoid the whole issue of low energy buildings. Ultimately, this is good for Birmingham and our selection is an indication that ISIS has confidence in the city and its young professional talent. 10 years ago, a project of this importance would have automatically gone to a London practice.

Councillor Ken Hardeman, Birmingham City Council's cabinet member for regeneration said: “We are happy to work in partnership with ISIS to help them bring forward this exciting exemplar of sustainable development. Bringing regeneration benefits to these historic buildings with their distinctive canal frontage is most welcome”.

MADE director Julia Ellis said: “MADE fosters excellence in the designed environment to make places, spaces and buildings that work better for people. Warwick Bar is a special site with its industrial and architectural history and the richness and greenness of its natural environment and waterways. Our shared ambition is for Warwick Bar to become a vibrant neighborhood where people will enjoy living and visiting. The history of the site and its development will be central to people's experience of the place in the future. This region needs more exemplars showing the very best of design-led regeneration: not just finished results but the process: we want to show how quality is achieved and to engage people in this.”

MADE's work at 122 Fazeley Street and in the region will reveal that process through events, discussions, displays and design workshops for people of all ages, including schools programmes.

Warwick Bar is an area of 1.9hectares (4.56 acres) within Birmingham's Eastside regeneration zone, and is where the Birmingham-to-London Grand Union Canal meets the Digbeth Branch Canal. The Warwick Bar Conservation Area includes three statutorily listed buildings built by the canal company in the 1840s and 50s, and a locally listed canal warehouse of 1935. Kinetic AIU will now work with ISIS and Birmingham City Council on the masterplan that will be submitted for a planning determination in Autumn 2006.