
Birmingham
Sector
Commercial
Management role
Programme
Status
Complete
Value
£212m
Months
48
Sq m
20,798
1.5 million books
The Library of Birmingham took more than three years and cost £212m to build.
Designed by architect Francine Houben, it is the biggest library in Europe and supports the life-long learning and skills development for Birmingham citizens and local businesses.
The project in the city’s Centenary Square has created a blueprint for how to integrate benefits to Birmingham’s most hard-hit residents: the homeless, the young and the unemployed.
F3GROUP was given the joint role of specialist move manager. The mammoth task required the transfer of over:
- 5m books and
- 24 kilometres of shelving, including precious archive collections


Carillion was Birmingham City Council’s construction partner for the four-year project that began in 2008.
The library now attracts and accommodates more than three million visitors a year.
Key features:
- coordination of the move plan with the construction programme
- developing a clear and comprehensive specialist move strategy
- delivering the move management programme

