The most striking expression of Birmingham New Street station's extensive refurbishment will be the exterior. It will be transformed from a sixties car-park-style, faceless concrete box into a curvaceous, mirrored entrance to the UK's second largest city. Charles Valla, project architect for AZPA, says a key factor behind the design was that the building had no windows, eliminating the architectural potential offered by views in and out through glass. The decision was therefore made to use the building as a mirror for the city. "It is an iconic image of Birmingham as a city and a high-profile project for Network Rail," he says. "The building becomes a reflection of the city - the people, the public realm, the railway tracks below and the blue skies above."
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