'Gherkin' man to design depot

The coach station will become a new landmark for Birmingham

The man behind the award-winning "Gherkin" building in London is to design Birmingham's new coach station.

The firm run by architect Ken Shuttleworth, who is Birmingham-born, has been appointed to regenerate the city's run-down coach depot at Digbeth.

The £7m project is expected to be completed by 2007.

Mr Shuttleworth's London building, 30 St Mary Axe, took the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize on a unanimous vote by judges.

Newest landmark

Coventry's city centre redevelopment was among prize contenders which lost out to the London icon, which quickly became known as The Gherkin because of its distinctive shape.

National Express says the Digbeth project will involve the complete transformation of the coach station and hopes it will become Birmingham's newest landmark

Preparation is now under way with initial designs for the new facility to be put forward in a planning application early next year.

The "Gherkin" was designed by Mr Shuttleworth when he worked at Lord Foster's company.

He was Lord Foster's right-hand man for 30 years at Foster and Partners, before leaving to set up his own business.