Wednesday 3 December 2008

The Fourth Grace

The creation of the Royal Liver Building celebrated a confident city and its past. The brief for the Fourth Grace called for a symbol of Liverpool’s future, a landmark building that would provide a dynamic and flexible venue for major public activity, exploiting the prominent riverside location. The site has expansive river views but is open and enviromentally challenging. RRP’s design proposed a serpentine roof form with ribbons of glazing creating a sheltered environment for diverse activity whilst framing views of the River Mersey. The scheme was intended to provide a contemporary identity for the city - a catalyst for Liverpool’s ongoing urban regeneration.

Integration of public transport systems was key to the future success of the scheme – RRP proposed tram links from north to south, connections between the commercial, retail, educational, cultural quarters, links to James Street Station and the underground and rail network, full integration with bus routes, maximising transportation opportunities offered by the waterways and enhancing the Cruise Liner Terminal and ferry links.

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The Fourth Grace