Liverpool: Mover, Shaker, Architectural Risk-Taker? 2 Map of the City 4 The Metropolitan Cathedral 6 The Anglican Cathedral 8 St George’s Hall 10 Mann Island 12 Future Liverpool 16 Debate and Discussion 19 Our Experience This magazine was produced by 20 young people aged 13-18 in August 2016 to mark the launch of RIBA North. It provides their interpretation, responses and insight of the opening exhi- bition ‘Liverpoole: Mover, Shaker, Architectural Risk-Taker.’ The magazine has been designed to support a visit to the exhibition, or to be read and enjoyed as a magazine in its own right. The group produced the magazine in just four days. It includes a wide range of drawings, photographs and text produced by them. We hope you enjoy it. Jo Harrop Director of PLACED 1 4–5 8–9 The RIBA exhibition features buildings that were never realised. However, different designs for some of these were built. Our map shows where these buildings are located in the city, and 10–11 where you can read more about them in our magazine. 2 6–7 10–11 3 The Metropolitan Cathedral If you’re from Liverpool, we’re sure you have heard about the Metropolitan Cathedral. If the name doesn’t The feature that would ring a bell then it’s the cone like building in which a define this building would tower rises from the centre. You would think from the look of it that is has a very brief history, but there is be a 91 metre high dome more to it than what meets the eye. The conception of the Cathedral goes back over 100 years before the which could hold the building we know today was even designed! largest organ in the world A building of two halves The Cathedral as we know it today was completed in at the time. 1967. But beneath the modern façade of the Cathedral lies Lutyens crypt. As soon as you enter the crypt after walking through the futuristic interior of the Cathedral above, you notice how different the two spaces are. On top it is light and airy, with windows all around while the crypt is darker and more closed. TIMELINE: The story before the Cathedral 1933 1944 Sir Edward Lutyens was recruited to design a second Cathedral People started building the Cathedral by first constructing a crypt for Liverpool. Lutyen based the now Metropolitan Cathedral on to go below it. The building of the crypt was postponed during St. Peter’s Basilica, which is a completely different design to the World War 2 when Lutyens sadly died. After the war the crypt Cathedral today. Building started for the design of the first was completed but further construction halted, due to Lutyen’s Cathedral on the 5th of June 1933. death. 4 What if things had gone differently? How much has this design impacted our city? One thing everyone can agree on, is that if one of Has it given architects working on buildings in the these failed designs had actually been used, then the surrounding areas opportunity to take risks? We city would be very different. In our opinion the city think that the design of the Metropolitan has had a would have another historical building, which would direct effect not only the surrounding area, but also not have been as risky architecturally but would have on architects themselves. It feels like the building has provided more heritage. The Cathedral would have allowed architects to push the boundaries of design also fitted in better with a traditional Cathedral design beyond the usual comfort zones and create a bolder which may have tied the area together and provided future. another architectural landmark for the city. On Hope Street there is a diverse range of buildings, As you can see the Cathedral today is more modern such as the Stirling Prize winning Everyman Theatre compared to its surroundings, but is this a bad thing? and the Philharmonic Hall. However, there is also a range of more traditional buildings nearby, such as Rising to the surface Liverpool University’s Victoria Building. This means Today the Cathedral stands as one of the city’s that the immediate area has a balance between the landmarks and tourist attractions. The design old and the new, which we think adds culture and challenges the normal conventions of a Cathedral variety to the city. due to its’ creative flair and modern edge. If the Luytens design had been built, this may have Most Cathedrals are easy to spot. They use traditional restricted future development in the area. It could construction and a crucifix plan. The Metropolitan have been very overpowering. When coupled with the is different. When approaching the building we felt Anglican Cathedral at the other end of Hope Street it the only thing that identified it as a Cathedral was may have intimidated and restricted other architects. the cruciform detail on the front of the building. With We believe the modern design of the Metropolitan has bright colours and a very geometric concrete structure allowed the area to have more variety. it’s difficult to not become immersed in the beauty of its intricate design. We think that this design is architecturally stunning, complicated and vibrant. 1953 1960 Dr William Godfrey, the Archbishop of Liverpool in 1953, kept Heenan then held a competition, in which Sir Frederick Gibberd’s the £4 million budget and stayed with Lutyen’s overall ideas, but design was chosen. Building began in October 1962 and the reduced the scale of the building. However, Godfrey faced heavy Cathedral we know today was completed in 1967. criticism and, when John Heenan took his place as leader of the project, he decided the design should be scrapped. 5 The Anglican Cathedral We think it would have been better if the design by Charles Herbert Reilly (above) had been built instead of the Anglican Cathedral building we have today. We like the current Catherdral building but we feel it would have had a different impact on Liverpool if we had built this alternative design. When we first saw the RIBA exhibition we were really Our opinions: surprised to see there had been other designs for the We thought the exhibition was very interesting and Anglican Cathedral. unique. The buildings are different and special in their own way, with all sorts of shapes and sizes. We Building a Cathedral in Liverpool was never easy and thought most of the buildings look exclusive and there were many decisions made before the current memorable. Anglican Cathedral was built. “It was interesting and made you think how our The original idea was to build a gothic style city could have been different.” Cathedral in the location of the current St Georges – Christina Hall. The money was not able to be raised and the project collapsed. “The architects are really creative, thinking about creating these amazing design plans for the buildings” Years later, a competition was held for a new design – Nimisha and a new location was selected where the current Anglican Cathedral is now. Three entries were “Fascinating, different to any other building I ever saw.” submitted. The one that was chosen was a design by – Amy Giles Gilbert Scott and is the Cathedral we have today. 6 The Cathedral now … The Cathedral that could It was a hot day in August. We were have been … making our way to the Anglican It was a hot day in August. We were Cathedral. We were only a short walk trudging up the long slope path away from the Cathedral and already d before us. The hot summer sun you could see it overshadowing burning our slouched backs. The the city. We didn’t realize it was on such a steep hill. When we all got to domineering cathedral could the top of the n e v e r – e n d i n g be seen from miles away, but it was hill, we were quite exhausted. Well, different up close. It made us feel some of us were. We stood in front special. The building itself was beautiful and of the entrance of the gigantic grand. It was a treat and an honour building. As we looked up, it to enter the palace, it felt like royalty appeared as if it was going to fall lived there. because of how tall it was. A huge shadow hovered over us. As The entrance was enormous; it was magical, very detailed and we walked into the building an instant cool breeze hit us. The space made you feel important. Inside it was massive. Walking around, we was stunning! We felt like the noticed little things. There were Queen would be preparing our doors with small balconies. They afternoon t e a! looked tiny because they were so Inside the sights were unbelievable. high up. There were stunning Looking up at the dome at stained- glass windows that each huge the top with the beautiful patterns, had a different story behind them. colours and shapes of all kinds. There was writing and numbers carved in the walls which were The whole experience was awe- interesting and we wanted to find inspiring but at the same time we felt out what they meant. the building was tranquil and We found out lots of things from calming. our visit. Why don’t you visit and find out things that you didn’t know? 7 Keeping the Culture It’s one of the finest neo-classical buildings in Liverpool. It’s the face of the city’s culture.