This series is about the changing history of buildings in the West Midlands area. This project highlights the journeys each of these buildings have gone through in their identities. These buildings have been photographed in digital and polaroid film, with the polariods representing the past and the digital images representing the present of the buildings. These two methods are metaphors of the different times and together respresent the journey that the buildings have gone through.
Back-to-Back Houses
The Back-to-Back houses in Birmingham on Inge Street are the last surviving court of Back-to-Back houses. These houses were built in 1802 to accommodate the increasing population in the industrial towns. They were called Back-to-Back houses due to the shared courtyard. In the 1970's the Back-to-Back house were almost demolished, but in 1988 they received a Grade II status by the National Hertiage charity.
It was then restored by the Birmingham Conservation Trust and opened in 2004 as a museum with guided tours.
Custard Factory
The Victorian Custard Factory in Digbeth was originally the Bird's custard factory built in 1837 by Sir Alfred Fredrick. It continued being a factory until the factory was relocated in 1964.
In January of 1992, the redevelopment of the factory started when it turned into a variety of businesses like studios and restaurants.
Ikon Gallery
The Ikon Gallery in Birmingham was formerly the Oozells Street Board School built in 1877. The neogothic building was designed by John Henry Chamberlain and is now classed as a Grade II listed building. The Oozells Street Board School opened in January 1878, it then went through many different functions like being a college, a furniture shop before it was going to be demolished.
It was saved and reopened in 1998 and renamed the Ikon Gallery. Today, the Ikon Gallery is still ongoing featuring contemporary art.
The Mailbox
The Mailbox in Birmingham opened in 1970 and was the location of the Royal Mail's main sorting office. It was the largest mechanised sorting office in the country. In 1988, the Birmingham Development Company brought the building to convert it into a mixed-use building. It was converted into two hotels, office spaces, restaurants and apartmentss with a public square also built.
Now the building is still used a mixed-use building with a cinema, restaurants and retail businesses.
Old Grammar School
The Old Grammar School was formerly the hospital of St. John the Baptist and a chapel from 1154 to around 1544, when it changed to a grammar school called King Henry VIII school from 1545 to 1855. This Grade I listed building has since been through many functions like a church, football club.
It was not used as regularly since the 1980's, but it became part of a restoration project of Coventry Transport Museum redevelopment in 2012 and opened again in 2015. It is now a fully licensed wedding venue.
Sarehole Mill
The Sarehole Mill in Hall Green is a Grade II listed building. The mill has been at this site since 1542, but the building itself is dated from the mid 18th Century. From 1756-1762, Matthew Boulton used the mill as a rolling mill for his work shop in Snow Hill. In the 1760's the mill was rebuilt by Robert Eaves Junior with a new channel constructed to improve the water flow. John Andrews then took over the mill and by 1871 George Andrews was the miller. In 1919, the milling ceased and in 1913 A.H. Foster purchased the mill and bequeathed it to Birmingham City Council on the condition that they let George Andrews Junior continue to live there. After his death it fell into disrepair. The local community saved it with a Trust and restored it and reopened it in 1969 and it has been a museum since. The mill is best known for its association with J.R.R. Tolkien who wrote 'Lord of the Rings' here.
