Construction firm partners with university to showcase student artwork at refurbished office  

Birmingham’s heritage and future is being celebrated through a new partnership between Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB UK) and Birmingham City University (BCU) - giving students an opportunity to display their artwork at the consultancy’s refurbished office.

RLB, an independent construction and property management consultancy, officially reopened its office at 15 Colmore Row, after a 12-week refurbishment and reconfiguration project. 

Currently on display in the office is Bellingham Bridge by BCU graduate James Fellows (pictured), 28, which was created using acrylic, charcoal, swarf, and newsprint on two raw canvases. 

Vincent Pegg, RLB’s City lead for Birmingham, said: “RLB is proud of its Birmingham roots that date all the way back to 1947, and we are committed to continuing our investment in the local community and economy.

“This is why we are so happy to be giving BCU students the opportunity to demonstrate what makes the city great through their artwork.  

“It was also important to us to work with local contractors, including Overbury Birmingham, and suppliers such as Quarter Horse Coffee based in the Jewellery Quarter.  

“This refurbishment marks a significant step forward in our journey to create a workplace that reflects who we are, how we work, and where we are headed.” 

Bellingham Bridge depicts Birmingham’s changing landscape, including projects like the HS2 development, while celebrating its industrial roots and multicultural identity.

The bridge is used as both a real structure and a symbolic connection between different times and communities. 

The piece was chosen because it resonated with RLB’s values, commitment to DEI and its links to construction and manufacturing. 

RLB has created a series of dedicated spaces within its Birmingham office where artwork by BCU students will be displayed on a rolling annual basis, aligned with the university’s academic timetable.

Each year, students will respond to a creative brief set by RLB, giving them valuable experience in developing a concept from initial idea to public exhibition. 

Brian Bishop, senior lecturer and course director of BA (Hons) Fine Art, said: “We began our collaboration with RLB last year with fine art students working on a live brief with staff to mount an on-site exhibition of work responding to the heritage and culture of the city.  

“This ultimately led to the opportunity for James to showcase “Bellingham Bridge” first exhibited in his degree exhibition at the School of Art on Margaret Street in June 2025.

It is a visually resplendent and perspicacious painting that seamlessly blends the past and present of this great city, building on its collective character and diversity.” 

 Key features of the refurbishment include: 

• A welcome space to support client engagement with facilities designed for hosting town hall meetings, internal briefings, and external events. 
• Reconfigured workspaces to support agile and hybrid working, including a co-working zone where staff can work with clients, peers, and visitors outside of meetings.
• Enhanced meeting and collaboration zones, which incorporate open desk space for team working and quiet spaces. 
• Improved wellbeing areas and breakout spaces with sofas and blankets that can be used for breastfeeding, meditation and prayers. 
• The refurbishment has included the integration of sustainable materials, energy-efficient systems and furniture has been recycled and repurposed. 

There are more than 200 employees based in the Birmingham office, from Building Surveyors and Project Managers to technical and business support services.