Native Birmingham

Native Birmingham sits within Paradise, one of the most significant urban regeneration projects undertaken in the UK in recent decades. For Archer Humphryes, the project formed part of a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of Birmingham’s civic centre, redefining how the city is experienced by residents and visitors alike. Paradise has been widely described as a new heart for Birmingham, reconnecting the city through public space, culture and commerce, and re-establishing its role as a confident, forward-looking European city. Native Birmingham was conceived as a flagship hospitality component within this wider placemaking vision, contributing life, activity and a sense of welcome to a district designed to be animated throughout the day and evening.

Acting as interior designer, Archer Humphryes approached Native Birmingham as more than a hotel, shaping it as an urban living space embedded within the fabric of the development. The concept responds directly to Paradise’s civic ambition, creating interiors that feel open, generous and sociable, with strong visual and physical connections to the surrounding public realm. Lobby and communal spaces are designed as places to meet, work and relax, blurring the boundaries between hotel guest and city user. The architecture and interiors support Native’s ethos of flexibility and community, aligning with broader commentary on Paradise as a project that has “reset Birmingham’s relationship with its city centre,” prioritising experience, inclusivity and long-term civic value.

Native Birmingham plays a key role in establishing Paradise as a destination rather than a single-use commercial quarter. The design supports the idea of hospitality as infrastructure—spaces that encourage dwell time, interaction and repeat visits—helping to anchor the development emotionally as well as physically. For Archer Humphryes, the project exemplifies our ability to contribute meaningfully to large-scale, transformative city projects, where individual buildings must work in service of a bigger urban narrative. Native Birmingham demonstrates how considered hospitality design can amplify placemaking ambitions, reinforcing Paradise’s status as a landmark regeneration and a defining chapter in Birmingham’s contemporary story. Archer Humphryes role was to stage 3 on this project.