A look inside Birmingham's new tallest building

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Listen on BBC Sounds: Birmingham's tallest building

Josh Sandiford

BBC News

Reporting from

The Octagon, Birmingham

5 September 2025, 06:09 BST

With its towering structure and unique shape, The Octagon divides opinion - but whether you love the look of Birmingham's tallest building or are yet to be convinced, it is certainly difficult to miss.

The first tenants will move into the built to rent skyscraper within days, and the BBC was given an exclusive first-look inside some of its 370 apartments.

There are eight on each floor, wrapped around a central core, and those behind the striking project say it is a world-first for its shape.

The Octagon towering over Birmingham's Chamberlain Square. It is gleaming white and has eight sides. There is a crown on top. It is a clear day with few clouds in the sky. We can see Birmingham's old-fashioned architecture, including its council house, clashing with the modern design of The Octagon. — Image caption,
The Octagon towers above some of Birmingham's historical architecture

From the 45th floor of The Octagon, we were able to see for miles across the city, gazing out at landmarks including the BT tower.

It is that iconic structure, which is just three metres shorter, that has found itself knocked off the top spot when it comes to Birmingham's tallest buildings.

One Eastside, another residential skyscraper, is currently under construction and will become the joint tallest with The Octagon when completed.

We can see for miles across the city. We are high up. We can see the iconic BT tower surrounded by office buildings and other city centre landmarks. There are homes and structures as far as the eye can see. — Image caption,
A view from the 45th floor penthouse on top of The Octagon

Senior development manager at MEPC Andy Bushell said The Octagon would deliver high quality housing for people in the city.

"It's a stunning addition to the Birmingham skyline," he said.

"I think it shows the ambition for the city. I think it shows the vision."

Dav Bansal and Andy Bushell. Dav is a slim man wearing a turban and a blue suit. He has a greying beard and is smiling. Andy is wearing a grey suit. He is smiling at the camera. He has a shaved head and some stubble. — Image caption,
Dav Bansal and Andy Bushell are some of those behind the project

Dav Bansal, a partner at Howells Architects, said he was proud to have overseen the project as a born-and-bred Brummie.

He explained he worked on converting the Bullring's iconic Rotunda two decades ago, and hoped The Octagon would also achieve landmark status.

"A lot of people are asking me if there will be copies of The Octagon," he said.

"There's already a few up north and a few down in the south that have gone into planning, but let's not forget the first one happened in Birmingham.

"For me, it's about a legacy."

A drone shot of The Octagon towering over Birmingham's Chamberlain Square. It is gleaming white and has eight sides. There is a crown on top. It is a clear day with few clouds in the sky. We can see Birmingham's old-fashioned architecture, including its council house, clashing with the modern design of The Octagon. Because we are higher up we can see even further across the city. There are buildings as far as the eye can see. — Image caption,
The Octagon is one of the newest - and most striking - additions to the Birmingham skyline

But the eight-sided structure, which took three years to complete at a cost of £110m, is not to everyone's taste.

When the BBC asked people what they thought of it, many said they felt it was a pleasant addition to the skyline,

But Audrey and Keith Wilkinson, who are originally from England and now live in America, were among those who said they were unsure.

Audrey and Keith Wilkinson in an embrace. They are standing in Birmingham's Chamberlain Square looking at the camera. Audrey is wearing glasses and purple top. Keith is wearing a blue outdoor jacket and a blue polo underneath. — Image caption,
Audrey and Keith Wilkinson are yet to be convinced by the look of The Octagon

"It's a little ugly, I think," Mrs Wilkinson said.

"It's unique, let's put it that way. It just doesn't fit in with the rest of the architecture."

Her husband added: "We like to see the old character and that's out of character with what we're seeing around."

An apartment in The Octagon. It looks like a show apartment. It is fancy and has lots of furniture in it. The walls are green. We can see out of the windows. — Image caption,
The cheapest one-bedroom apartment in The Octagon costs £1,400 a month

The Octagon is part of a wider investment in the city's Paradise Estate.

It is set to cost a total of £1.2bn, and is transforming the area between Chamberlain and Centenary Squares.

Many will find it gives them the potential to live in an ideal location in a fast-changing part of the city, but the flats don't come cheap.

They start at £1,400 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.

Sharon Thompson giving an interview. She has dreadlocks and is wearing a blue dress and earrings. We can see the area around the Paradise Estate and The Octagon tower behind her. There are people walking up and down but they are blurred out. — Image caption,
Sharon Thompson said providing housing in the city was all about striking a balance

Sharon Thompson, the deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, welcomed the Octagon, describing it as "incredible".

She said the authority was striking a balance between providing affordable housing and also celebrating developments suited for those with higher budgets.

"We're working really hard to make sure we're looking at affordable housing for those that really need it," she said.

"This may be more aimed towards those who want city centre living, but that doesn't mean we're going to take our foot off the pedal when it comes to housing in residential areas."