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Designer Ian Simpson Architects Developer Focus Housing Group Contractor Moss Construction Planning Authority Birmingham City Council

The Focus Foyer provides up to two years’ accommodation, training, job experience and work opportunities for eighty young people who would otherwise be homeless and unemployed. This is a tough brief for any architect to handle, on scarcely the easiest of sites in the heart of Birmingham: steeply sloping, and bounded on one side by what is effectively an urban motorway.

The response is magnificent. A smooth, terra-cotta clad wall, shielding the living accommodation from traffic noise, curves round the perimeter of the site ending in a spectacular glazed prow which houses the communal kitchen/lounges on each floor. On the sheltered side, a very gentle ramp takes visitors up to the knuckle of the building, so imperceptibly that it is something of a shock to realise that the car parking is tucked away out of sight one whole storey below.

From the reception area, sitting areas, training rooms, offices and staff accommodation fan out over the ground floor level, while lifts and stairs give access to broad access galleries serving the four floors of study bedrooms, and the communal areas at the end. These are amazingly successful spaces, with splendid views, and particularly clever touches like the semi-concealed triangular areas at the very tip of the prow, which act as getaway zones for those seeking a little peace and quiet.

From the beautifully fitted bedsits, through the communal areas, to the overall detailing of the building, there is a clear and consistent emphasis on the highest quality of design, construction and workmanship. It is very evident that this is highly appreciated by the residents and staff, and it is a tribute to the building that its strong, simple design is able to accept the inevitable accretions of notices and posters without compromising its overall integrity in any way.