The six-storey, 230 metres (750 ft) long building was designed by architect James Roberts as part of the Inner Ring Road scheme in the 1950s and is notable for its gentle sweeping curved frontal elevation.

After this section of the ring road was constructed the decision was made to separate pedestrians from traffic in the form of underpasses, subways and flyovers.

Historic England stated that:[8] The building was cleverly designed to make a large structure seem part of the human city environment.

However, while the building's design and compatibility with its setting have distinct quality, it relies on considerable repetition of standardised parts and has undergone alteration to its exterior at ground floor level and to its interiors.Historic England also issued a Certificate of Immunity from Listing in March 2022.

[9] In September 2023, Birmingham City Council's planning committee voted 7 to 6 in favour of allowing the building to be demolished and replaced by three tower blocks of 44, 48 and 56 storey respectively.