The Birmingham office of property and construction consultants RLF has been appointed to the refurbishment project of one of the University of Birmingham’s most prominent buildings.

Muirhead Tower, which was designed by award-winning architect Sir Philip Dowson in 1968 and completed in 1971, will be given a sympathetic 21st century face lift and become home to the University’s Schools of Social Sciences and Humanities by the end of the year.

The 16-storey building comprises over 14,000 square metres of floor space in two towers built upon a podium base.

RLF will provide quantity surveying and co-ordinate Construction (Design and Management) services for the restoration.

While retaining the buildings’ concrete and glass appearance, typical of much 1970s architecture, the refurbishment will bring the building bang up to date, using a state-of-the-art double skin glazing system to control the solar and thermal performance of the building.

Other improvements planned as part of the refurbishment include the creation of nearly 400 academic offices, a suite of lecture rooms, a café bar, replacement lifts and improved accessibility throughout the building.

Paul Anderson, partner at RLF, said:  "The project is particularly interesting as it is not simply a refurbishment programme but one that involves the sympathetic restoration of the original building.

"Love it or hate it, Muirhead Tower is a classic example of 1970s architecture and it is crucial that its architectural integrity is preserved while bringing the layout and facilities up to modern standards."