Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Urban Design Framework & Public Realm Implementation Plan Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Anglican Cathedral Blackburne House Mount Vernon Contents Introduction 1 PART 1: The Area 4 PART 4: The Climax Plan 52 10 Little Lever Street 1:1 Historic Pattern 6 4:1 Vision 54 Manchester 1:2 Topography 12 4:2 Opportunities & Constraints 56 M1 1HR 1:3 Urban Form 14 4:3 Rebuilding Connections 60 1:4 Built Heritage 16 4:4 Knowledge Network 64 t. 0161 200 5500 1:5 Building and Townscape Quality 18 4:5 Climax Plan 66 f. 0161 237 3994 1:6 Building Heights 20 Civic Forum & LJMU City Campus 67 e. [email protected] 1:7 Townscape 22 Lime Street Station Approach 67 1:8 Character Areas 24 New Islington 68 1:9 The Regeneration Context 28 The Hospital 68 Liverpool University 69 PART 2: Activity 30 The Anglican Cathedral & Hope Street 70 2:1 Activity Generators 32 Falkner Square 71 2:2 Animation and Uses 34 2:3 Movement 36 PART 5: Implementation Plan 72 31 Blackfriars Road 2:4 Walking Routes 38 5:1 Taking forward the Climax Plan 74 Salford 2:5 Parking & Public Transport 40 5:2 Parking 76 Manchester 5:3 Starting with the Public Realm 78 M3 7AQ PART 3: Public Realm 42 5:4 Road Improvement Projects 82 3:1 Public Realm 44 5:5 Place Improvement Projects 84 5:6 Road Crossing Improvement Projects 86 with: Christopher Gibaud 3:2 Quality of the Public Realm 46 [email protected] 3:3 Open Spaces 48 3:4 Street Hierarchy 50 May 2008 Aerial photography: credit to Webb Aviation; all other photographs by URBED unless stated otherwise Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Islington Royal Hospital Copperas Hill Mount Vernon Crown Street Archbishop Blanch School Royal Mail Sorting Office Pier Head Mount Pleasant Myrtle / Grove Street corridors River Mersey Albert Dock Strategic concept for Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Introduction In which we describe the context for our work arising out of the Knowledge Quarter Prospectus which highlighted Redbrick University Anglican Cathedral The Royal Hospital complex the importance of the area to Liverpool’s economy and the extent to which this is t could be said that the success of Liverpool’s Two sectors in which the city never fell behind that Prospectus by looking at the environment undermined by the physical environment city centre regeneration strategy over the its competitors have helped give momentum to of the Knowledge Quarter and how it can be of the area. Ipast decade has been to ‘catch up’ in areas this regeneration. The city has always retained transformed over the coming decades. where the city had fallen well behind comparative a leading reputation in the associated fields of metropolitan cores. In retail, Liverpool’s declining Higher Education and Medicine, its Universities, The Knowledge Quarter generates some 15% position has been reversed and is set for School of Tropical Medicine and Teaching Hospital of Liverpool’s Gross Value Added and 7% of all transformation in 2008 as the Grosvenor L1 acknowledged as institutions of international full-time employment but covers just 1% of development opens for business. The renewed calibre. Likewise, Liverpool’s profile as a cultural, its land area (source: Prospectus, Regeneris commercial office infrastructure and associated creative and tourist focus has remained high; the report, 2007). Students, tourists, academic rental values are barely recognisable from the cathedrals, museums, galleries, music venues staff, business and research funding are drawn heavily dated offer ten years ago. Dramatic and theatres attracting visitors from near and far. from global networks. Together, the Knowledge growth in hotel space, conferencing and leisure Quarter and Hope Street Quarter represent a will be crowned with the completion of the King’s Perhaps because Liverpool’s learning and cultural unique combination of assets. Learning and Waterfront Arena and Convention Centre, a institutions perform so well, their physical leisure co-exist alongside high value-added spectacular conferencing and concert venue on setting has not always been subject to the same knowledge businesses, in a lively townscape of the city’s waterfront. level of strategic regeneration attention as that Georgian squares and magnificent cathedrals. focused on the restructuring of the waterfront The assets of the area include: During this time, Liverpool city centre has been and commercial districts. The Prospectus for re-established as a place where people want to Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter highlights the Knowledge institutions live as well as relax and do business. The city importance of the city centre’s eastern sector University of Liverpool centre population has risen from 3,000 to around to economic growth across the Northwest Liverpool John Moores University 20,000. region. This document gives physical form to Royal Liverpool University Hospital LJMU’s new Art and Design Academy on Brownlow Hill; image courtesy: LJMU Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Abercromby Square The Foundation Centre The Metropolitan Cathedral steps and cafe Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine A human scale: The area is compact and can urban design of the area does not fully reflect can move, experience the arts, meet, socialise, address problems in-between and adjoining Liverpool Science Park be walked across in 15 minutes. Buildings its high standard operations, and the public stay overnight, live, eat and drink – the social these areas, in order to maximise the impact of Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory are generally of a size and density which is realm does not adequately support the ease of and physical fabric of the Liverpool Knowledge the planned improvements. Liverpool Hope University sympathetic to the pedestrian. interaction vital to knowledge transfer. Quarter. The leisure and cultural offer focused Liverpool Community College on the Hope Street area must be seen as key to A strong knowledge environment? Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts Significant architectural value and URBED and Landscape Projects have conducted Liverpool’s effort to attract and retain students, character: Many parts of the area have an intensive physical study of the area and academics, researchers and other knowledge The Prospectus identifies environmental qualities Cultural Institutions notable and attractive buildings, in a diversity propose a Design Framework and prioritised workers. The recent high quality public realm that will sustain the success of Liverpool’s Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals of styles. A number of new buildings provide set of projects aimed at matching the quality of works in and around Hope Street have been Knowledge Quarter: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and high quality and striking additions to the environment to the best institutions within it. highlighted by CABE as a best practice example.’ Orchestra townscape. A distinct sense of place: The visitor should Everyman and Unity Theatres An Inspirational Environment There has never been a better time to bring have strong sense of having entered a distinct Blackburne House A rounded offer: The Knowledge Quarter, about this transformation. Major physical change part of the city. Cornerstone Gallery notably within the Hope Street area, contains As the Knowledge Quarter Prospectus states: and development is already underway across Victoria Museum & Gallery a diverse and vibrant set of leisure pursuits ‘Knowledge and knowledge workers are mobile. the Knowledge Quarter as both universities Clear but permeable boundaries: The ideal Increasingly strong high quality hotel, bar and which are a strong complement to its Academics, researchers, students and knowledge implement major capital programmes (with a knowledge environment needs to have a restaurant offer knowledge strengths. based businesses have a great deal of freedom combined estimated value of £300m). The Royal defined quarter with clear, albeit permeable Distinctive architectural and public realm over where they locate. It is vital that Liverpool Liverpool University Hospital is also to be rebuilt borders. assets Clear and logical routes: The area benefits and the North West are able to offer outstanding at a cost of over £400m, opening opportunities Proximity to Ropewalks, the Baltic Triangle from a number of strong landmarks (foremost knowledge environments in which to work, to develop much stronger physical and visual Visual and physical linkages within and Independent District and the World Heritage the cathedrals), and some parts of the study, collaborate and relax. Surveys of leading links with the universities and School of Tropical between: Visitors, users, students and Site Knowledge Quarter are highly legible, making researchers who have been attracted to Liverpool Medicine. New opportunities for appropriate staff need to navigate efficiently and safely it relatively easy for visitors to find their way in recent years confirm that the quality of the private sector investment within the Knowledge between buildings and places in the campus The area also has many physical strengths: around the core area. physical environment is an issue that we need to Quarter are also being created. area. address. The environment is, however, fragmented and These efforts need to be set within a coherent Open and inclusive spaces: A vibrant these strengths sit alongside environments that The area’s continued growth depends upon framework, and complemented with action to knowledge location must be open and are in