Architects in Birmingham: Claremont Citizen Experience Centre, Jewellery Quarter

Looking for architects in Birmingham to deliver inclusive public buildings? Lapworth Architects designed the Claremont Citizen Experience Centre at 18–23 Summer Hill Terrace in the Jewellery Quarter, creating an accessible environment where residents, carers and professionals can trial assisted-living equipment and layouts in a real-world setting.

Lapworth Architects were appointed to design the Claremont Citizen Experience Centre at 18–23 Summer Hill Terrace in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. The project was commissioned by Claremont Property Group in collaboration with Birmingham City Council, as part of wider work to improve accessibility and wellbeing across the city.

The centre is designed for people with disabilities, creating an inclusive space where residents, carers and professionals can test and experience assisted-living equipment before use in their own homes. Within a single accessible environment, visitors can explore and compare a range of layouts and technologies, including ceiling-mounted hoists, through-floor lifts, level-access showers, adaptable kitchens and ergonomic fittings.

Project at a glance

• Location: Summer Hill Terrace, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

• Client: Claremont Property Group

• Collaboration: Birmingham City Council

• Purpose: trial and demonstration of assisted-living layouts and equipment

• Key design drivers: inclusive access, clarity of circulation, comfort, sensory considerations

• Compliance: Part M focused design development and review

Plan and user experience

The brief required a balance of demonstration and comfort. The plan includes a central open space for group demonstrations, smaller adaptable bathroom and bedroom mock-ups for individual trials, and clear routes designed to meet Part M of the Building Regulations.

Each area is fitted with adjustable fixtures and sensory-considered materials, enabling visitors with a wide range of needs to experience designs safely and confidently. Daylight, acoustics and colour contrast were developed to support navigation and reduce fatigue.

External character and context

Externally, the building presents a calm civic character to Summer Hill Terrace, using clean lines and durable materials suited to the Jewellery Quarter’s mix of residential and commercial architecture. The intent was a public-facing building that feels straightforward to approach and easy to read from the street.

Coordination and submission workflow

Planning and coordination followed Lapworth’s digital workflow, with submission material prepared through UK Planning Gateway to maintain accuracy, version control and traceability from concept through approval. This supports consistent information management, particularly where accessibility requirements need to be carried clearly across drawings and specifications.

Architects in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands

For clients searching for architects in Birmingham, this project reflects Lapworth Architects’ approach to inclusive design: practical, measured and centred on user experience. We work across the wider West Midlands, including Edgbaston, Harborne, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.

FAQs

What is the Claremont Citizen Experience Centre?
An accessible centre where people with disabilities, residents, carers and professionals can trial assisted-living equipment and layouts before installing or specifying them in homes.

Where is the project located?
18–23 Summer Hill Terrace in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.

What experiences and equipment can visitors trial?
Layouts and technologies including ceiling-mounted hoists, through-floor lifts, level-access showers, adaptable kitchens and ergonomic fittings.

How is the plan organised?
A central open space supports group demonstrations, with smaller bathroom and bedroom mock-ups for individual trials and clear circulation routes throughout.

How was accessibility addressed in the design?
Routes, layouts and fittings were developed around inclusive access requirements, with attention to daylight, acoustics and colour contrast to support navigation and reduce fatigue.

How was the project coordinated for planning and delivery?
Submission material and revisions were managed through UK Planning Gateway to maintain version control and clear traceability across the package.