V Building to do for Birmingham what Sears Building did for Chicago

Eric Kuhne's 50-storey tower at Birmingham's Arena Central has been unveiled at MIPIM. The 150m " V Building" will sit at the edge of the 3 hectare regeneration scheme, next to the 27 storey Alpha Tower, one of the city's tallest buildings.

V Building

The £150m mixed-used tower will feature 600 apartments serviced with a spa, residents library and reception rooms. Bars and restaurants will be on the ground floor with a 'sky bar' and observatory on the top of the tower.

Kuhne said he hoped the V Building would give Birmingham the "same recognition that the Sears Building gave Chicago". He continued: "Birmingham has too much heritage to become a city dominated by towers, but the local authorities has recognised how important symbolic tall buildings are to the international reputation of major cities."

Planning will be submitted next month.