The final part of the vision that goes right back to 1974 has now been completed with the building including interactive artworks opening fully in August. A vast sloping walkway takes visitors from the third level back to the ground floor past exhibition displays featuring world-class commissions by artists of international standing.

The rest of the building has been open since 2008 following a somewhat chequered gestation both culturally and financially. At the time, Culture Minister Margaret Hodge, said “It chimes exactly with the way the arts in the 21st century are going. It will act as a trailblazer for regeneration in the area and will place West Bromwich at the forefront of this country’s brilliant cultural scene.” Hodge has since moved back to the back benches but The Public is trying to move forward and is striving hard to find a place in the general public’s affections. Recent signs are encouraging with almost 30,000 visitors in 12 weeks this summer.

What is undeniable is that right from the time you approach this 113m x 21m x 22m building, your senses will be stimulated by shapes and colours that are not associated with more traditional architecture.

And this approach is not just superficial. The ‘behind the scenes’ areas are just as unconventional. Even the loos present a combination of radical design and function. Traditional washbasins have been spurned in favour of striking stainless steel washfountains from Relcross. The expanse of mirrors enlarges the visual impact and combines with the gleaming steel of the washfountains to reflect images all round the washroom vestibule. The stark but warm yellow walls are emphasised and mix colour into the reflections to help create an installation worthy of the building’s overall ambiance.

But the washfountains are not just there for visual impact. With a capacity of 8 users at a time and infra red flow controls, they can save up to a staggering 55 litres of water per minute. Installation is more economical too. Instead of 24 connections (8 hot, 8 cold and 8 waste), a washfountain has just 3 connections and no taps. So although one washfountain is obviously more expensive than a single basin it’s certainly not 8 times more and, being free standing, you don’t need a vanity unit either. They’re easier and cheaper to clean and maintain too.

Space saving is another advantage compared to 8 basins – although full circular washfountains do need enough width to avoid disrupting traffic flow. If the washroom is long and thin then semi-circular units are available that are mounted against the wall for either 3 or 4 users at a time. Surprisingly these each need about 20% less floor space than 3 or 4 basins. And if stainless steel is not to your taste then a finish called Terreon® is available which can mimic slate, granite or even rose quartz.

Finally there’s the social aspect. The washroom is increasingly recognised by psychiatrists and sociologists as an important venue in both working and social environments. Pubs and clubs in particular are paying much closer attention to these areas, even providing chairs and rest areas within their confines and increasing revenue by the additional advertising and merchandising opportunities so created. Washfountains are part of this trend. Users face each other and chat while washing their hands instead of standing silent in regimented rows facing the wall.

So despite the criticism The Public has received, there are aspects of the design that make a lot of sense – whichever way you look at it. Perhaps in time more features of the building will prove to be sensible and logical and not just eye-catching and provocative.