The £1.2bn bet on Liverpool's future

This video explores Liverpool's incredible, ambitious £1.2bn 'Kings' development, which will bring the city's new tallest building (70 storeys, 222m) as well as nine other massive buildings that promise to expand Liverpool's city centre northwards and introduce a dramatic new element to Liverpool's already-impressive skyline.

What I like the most about this scheme is that it's built on a raised podium, underneath which all the car parking and servicing for the development will be situated. That leaves the spaces in between these buildings to be totally pedestrianised - achieved through a network of parks, squares and streets for everyone to use. Each building is built on a podium building - straight out of 'Vancouverism' - an architectural-urbanist style borne out of Vancouver in the 1970s/80s which mandated that all skyscrapers be built above a plinth. This helps anchor the buildings to the street, and in Liverpool they've used this concept to create some tight, narrow, and cosy streets around the buildings - reducing that 'windswept' feeling you often get around skyscrapers like this.

Another thing I love is that these podiums have been designed to look a bit like Victorian heritage railway arches - a nod to the city's heritage while also providing space for businesses and retail and providing some active frontage.

The architecture clearly pulls from the Liverpool vernacular. Red brick and stone is a heavy influence - red brick being a dominant style in Liverpool's cityscape as it's the local stone in England's north west.

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#liverpool #urbanism #development #property #uk #unitedkingdom #planning #architecture #regeneration