Mill Green Outlet Village West Midlands was opened in the spring of 2021 and constructed for the McArthur Glen group at a cost of £160 million. The development is an open-air shopping village housing over 80 discount designer stores, plus restaurants, a visitor centre, heritage trail and a large kids play area.
Located on an 11-hectare greenfield site adjacent to Mill Green Nature Reserve in the town of Cannock, the centre created hundreds of jobs for local people.
This outdoor style of shopping centre has become known as the “Bicester Style”, and creates a village feel by mixing a variety of façade treatments and materials with a residential look, complimented by architectural features.
There were three bricks selected for the project: Wienerberger Smoked Orange Gilt Multi, Wienerberger Yellow Multi Gilt and Forterra County Red Smooth. The three different brick colours, while from a complimentary red to yellow palette helped to provide contrast and definition to the individual shopfronts. The facades were further divided up by units entirely of render and various mock render features. The texture of the bricks further gave further contrast with a mix of smooth and sanded bricks.
The designers added a number of features to give a classical look to the facades and these were formed generally around openings in GRP to replicate stone heads, cills, arches and circular bullseye surrounds.
The entrance to the outlet displays a grand façade worthy of the high-level elite clientele residing within its walls and demanding your attention from the moment you pull into the car park. The orange gilt combined with striking white GRP cornice and copings creates an air of opulence that continues throughout.
Architecture Practice: Holder Mathias Architects
Brick Manufacturer: Forterra & Wienerberger
Brickwork Contractor: Phoenix Brickwork UK Ltd
