Office 
Landlord Works
CAT A Refurbishment
40,000 sq ft
44 Weeks
Birmingham
Return to Case Studies10 Colmore Row
Sitting in the heart of Birmingham’s business district, 10 Colmore Row has undergone a complete refurbishment to create approximately 40,000 sq ft of modern Grade A office accommodation across seven storeys.
Working with AP GWA Ltd, Rhino delivered a full Cat A refurbishment alongside significant upgrades to the building’s services, reception and landlord areas. The project has transformed the existing property into a high-performing, energy-efficient workplace, while connecting it with the wider regeneration of the neighbouring Great Western Arcade.
With a strong focus on sustainability, the refurbishment retained and upgraded existing building elements wherever possible. Alongside new mechanical and electrical services, these improvements have helped bring the building up to an EPC A rating, creating an efficient and future-ready workplace in one of Birmingham’s most established commercial locations.
In pictures
Initial Drivers
10 Colmore Row occupies a prominent position within Birmingham’s Colmore Business District, directly neighbouring the historic Great Western Arcade.
The ambition was to reposition the existing building for the modern commercial office market, creating high-quality Cat A workspace while significantly improving its energy performance and overall tenant experience.
Rather than replacing the existing building, the project focused on making better use of what was already there. Refurbishment, reuse and targeted upgrades provided an opportunity to improve the building’s environmental performance while creating contemporary office accommodation that could compete with newer Grade A space across the city.
The project also formed part of the wider investment into Great Western Arcade, creating an opportunity to strengthen the connection between the office building, the arcade and the surrounding Colmore Row destination.
Proposal
Rhino’s scope covered a complete Cat A refurbishment from the Ground Floor through to Level 6, supported by extensive upgrades to the building’s infrastructure and landlord areas.
We installed new mechanical and electrical services throughout, including ventilation, power, lighting, fire alarm, access control and CCTV. Photovoltaic systems were also incorporated as part of the strategy to improve the building’s energy performance and achieve an EPC A rating.
Alongside the office floors, we refurbished the existing lifts and upgraded the WC cores, lobbies and landlord amenity spaces.
At Ground Floor, the existing entrance was transformed through the creation of a new, enlarged reception. Bespoke joinery and carefully considered finishes create a stronger arrival experience and establish the quality of the building from the moment tenants and visitors enter.
Throughout the project, our approach focused on balancing the performance expected from a modern Grade A workplace with the environmental benefits of retaining and improving an existing Birmingham building.
Key Challenges
Working within an existing city-centre building required careful coordination throughout the programme.
A major part of the project involved upgrading the building’s infrastructure while retaining and working around existing elements. New mechanical and electrical services needed to be integrated throughout all seven storeys, including ventilation, power, lighting, fire alarm, access control and CCTV systems.
With the target of achieving an EPC A rating, the team also had to consider energy performance throughout the refurbishment. This included the integration of photovoltaic technology and wider improvements to building services, while maximising the reuse of the existing structure and suitable building elements.
The building’s location added another layer of complexity. With 10 Colmore Row sitting alongside the Great Western Arcade regeneration in a busy part of Birmingham city centre, the works required close coordination to ensure the different elements came together as part of one wider destination.
Look & feel
With the office floors delivered to Cat A specification, the character of 10 Colmore Row comes through most strongly within the shared and arrival spaces.
The enlarged reception creates a welcoming first impression, with bespoke joinery and contemporary finishes giving the building a distinct identity while remaining flexible enough to appeal to a wide range of future occupiers.
Across the wider building, refreshed lobbies, WC cores and landlord spaces create a consistent experience from the Ground Floor through to the upper levels.
The relationship with Great Western Arcade also plays an important role in the building’s identity. Rather than viewing 10 Colmore Row as a standalone office, the refurbishment connects into a wider destination that combines workspace with the character, amenities and established presence of one of Birmingham’s best-known arcades.
The result balances the qualities of an existing city-centre building with the clean, contemporary feel expected from modern Grade A workspace.
The result
Completed in August 2026, the refurbishment has transformed 10 Colmore Row into approximately 40,000 sq ft of modern Grade A office accommodation across seven storeys.
New building services have significantly improved its performance, with upgrades to ventilation, lighting, power, security and life-safety systems creating an efficient and future-ready environment. The addition of photovoltaic technology and the wider refurbishment strategy have helped the building achieve an EPC A rating, strengthening its environmental performance and ESG credentials.
The new reception provides a stronger sense of arrival, while refurbished lifts, WCs, lobbies and amenity areas improve the experience throughout the building.
Importantly, the project demonstrates what can be achieved by investing in and improving existing buildings. By retaining suitable elements and upgrading the infrastructure around them, 10 Colmore Row has been given a new lease of life without losing the value already embedded within the property.
Together with the regeneration of Great Western Arcade, the completed project creates a connected, amenity-rich destination in the heart of Birmingham’s premier business district – bringing together high-quality workspace, improved environmental performance and one of the city centre’s most distinctive locations.
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