To what extent do Hope Street’s newer buildings successfully integrate into local historical context?
Haziq Khairi Originally written December 2017-January 2018
Spanning Upper Parliament Street to the Metropolitan Cathedral (although most notable for the stretch between the latter and the monumental Anglican Cathedral), Hope Street’s centuries old history has seen it develop from a middle-class housing area1 into a vibrant and bustling row with the addition of - amongst others - theatres, pubs, and schools, and is considered amongst the UK’s greatest streets.2 Architecturally rich, Hope Street features a multitude of listed buildings.3 Although these, like most of the street’s buildings date from c19-c20, further development has resulted in the rise and subsequent juxtaposition of newer buildings with the old. Considering Hope Street’s prominence and historical significance, these newer buildings should, to a great extent, respect and preserve the location’s existing structures. As such, two of the more recent additions – Federation House and the Hope Street Hotel extension – will be used to illustrate how well some of Hope Street’s newer buildings respond and interact with those of its past. Owner Dave Brewitt intended for the Hotel extension to be a “strong architectural statement”4 right from the beginning. However, whilst the structure that previously existed on the site of the extension was, by all accounts, an eyesore, the decision was made to build onto this existing building,5 despite it being a complex engineering task. As a result, it can thus be argued that the desire to take into account its history and surroundings is evident in the construction of the extension itself. Part of the old building has not only been preserved but integrated into the new design; an indication of the architects’ desire to recognise the location’s history. With much of Hope Street’s architecture consisting of Georgian, Classical, and Art Deco styles, it is not a surprise then
Fig. 1: Federation House, Gilling Dod & Partners (1965-66)
Fig. 2: Hope Street Hotel Extension, Falconer Chester Hall (2009)
that the hotel extension stands out with its neo-futurist design. To the south lies the original Hope Street Hotel, a converted 1864 warehouse designed by Dave Brewitt and Basia Chlebik6 while the northern side flanks Anthony Minoprio & Hugh Greville Spencely’s 1930-32 extension to the former Royal School of the Blind, built with Portland-stone in a stripped classical style.7
Fig. 3: Back in time – an eyesore of the 70s, formerly occupied by Merseyside Police
Fig. 4: Today: set amidst structures of c19 and early c20, the extension is easily distinguishable.
As such, the most immediate and striking feature of Falconer Chester Hall’s work is the generous usage of glass, forming nearly the entirety of the building’s Hope Street elevation and thus presenting an immediate and sharp contrast with the largely stone and brick-cladded facades of its surrounding neighbours. Irregular glass panes further emphasise this, creating deconstructed lines amidst the strong, distinctive lines of the buildings it borders. While it is not shy about seeking attention there does remain an almost restrained nature about the design that is likely sourced from the limestone that frames this glass and the pillar-like element used to accommodate a balcony. Soft in colour and texture, it echoes the brickwork of its adjacent buildings while simultaneously creating a narrow barrier between each building’s respective facades; suggesting the projection of a bold, modern concept, but only within the confines of itself, simultaneously doing its utmost to not disturb those around it.
Characteristic uninterrupted cornices of the original hotel
Light brown brickwork with white accents, create a soft, serene feeling
Staggered glass panes create disjointed, uneven lines
Here, pale limestone evokes a similar sensation
Similar uninterrupted cornices form a distinctive feature of Minoprio & Spencely’s extension
Two similarities to note – the stone patterns and (in certain lights) the stone colour
Perhaps the features best illustrating this are those found in the interior – such as the lobby, where the brick façade of the original hotel is imitated and integrated into the new design as the lobby’s southern wall. Furthermore, the central oak staircase found in the new building is a replication of that found in the old8 and represents one of the latter’s most defining elements. Thus, these demonstrate a desire to pay homage to and respect Hope Street’s existing buildings. It can be argued that the hotel’s most contentious features are borne out of necessity, as its large windows optimise views of Hope Street for occupants whilst also creating an inviting and open atmosphere. Similarly, the extension’s height can also be attributed towards catering to the need of the guest: sprouting above the low roofs of Hope Street are the extension’s penthouses and outdoor terrace, the primary purpose of which is to provide views of the sprawling streets below. This, however, appears to be where necessity begins to encroach into the norms of the street, creating a disruption in the roofline, an atypical growth designed to provide the best views of its surroundings at the expense of contextual convention. As if to reinforce this point, the upper section is angled at its Hope Street side - in contrast to the flat, parallel street frontages of not just the hotel extension’s adjacent buildings but those across and around it: Federation House, Liverpool Philharmonic, and the Everyman, to name but a few. It suggests a display of freedom; that once the structure is physically tall enough to escape Hope Street’s roofline, it can forget about the brickwork, parallelism and ornamentation in abundance below and instead, become something more independent.
Fig. 5: Exposed brickwork (left) adds to the soft, calming atmosphere in the lobby
Fig. 6: Oak staircase is a direct reference to the original hotel
Fig. 7: Philharmonic Dining Halls gates
Fig. 8: Federation House relief
Fig. 9: Metropolitan Cathedral relief
Opposite the Hotel lies another Hope Street oddity – the Federation House, designed by Gilling Dod & Partners in 196566, originally for the Building Trades Employers9 but now occupied by Liverpool Media Academy and a number of cafés. Intended as commercial space, it is a rare example of modern architecture on Hope Street and is best known for its ground floor concrete relief by William Mitchell.10 Standing on a plot bordered by Caledonia Street to the north, Hope Street to the west and Upper Hope Place to the south, Federation House is bordered on three sides by roads rather than other buildings; gifting it the luxury of independence that the Hotel extension is not, emphasising it amidst the Hope Street crowd. Nevertheless, it does to a great extent take into account its historical context, and Mitchell’s relief is perhaps the best place to start to illustrate this. It is here where connections to its surroundings are first evident, on what might on first glance appear to be the most untoward feature of any of Hope Street’s buildings: a ‘faux-Aztec’ mural-like anomaly, spread across three of its four sides but which adds extravagance on what is otherwise a rather grey, drab edifice. With the two cathedrals being the bastions of Hope Street, it is then quite fitting that Mitchell also designed the relief embellishing the Hope Street entrance of the Metropolitan Cathedral11 - representing a direct link between Federation House and one of Liverpool’s most iconic structures. Despite being described by Nikolaus Pevsner as resembling “some cruel Mexican ritual”12 Mitchell’s works appear to be reminiscent, in regard to ornamentation and intricacy, of the Art Nouveau gates that adorn the entrance to what is perhaps Hope Street’s most flamboyant resident: The Philharmonic Dining Halls. Whilst the Hotel extension disregards its
neighbours’ penchants for strong horizontality, Federation House seems to adhere to this religiously. Above Mitchell’s relief, rows of windows and grey panels alternate, resulting in a grid-like façade that carries a great sense of parallelism and which echoes the strong lines in the cornices across the road and the general features of many of the street’s buildings. This theme of horizontality and parallelism continues with the flat surfaces at each of its sides, which (as noted earlier) conform to what has largely become a norm of Hope Street. Juxtaposing the abundant irregularity across the road in the Hotel extension, Federation House (at least in form) represents a much more orthodox addition. In this sense, there is a strong association between Federation House and its context. Certainly, it remains much more orthodox-Hope Street than the Hotel extension it lies across; it does, however, remain a conservative, ‘safe’ design – which, aside from Mitchell’s concrete relief, is very much an example of a typical commercial office of mid-C20. It occupies a site on Hope Street that would naturally allow it to stand out, yet with its stylistic features it chooses, seemingly aware of its standing amidst its illustrious neighbours, to recede; into the background.
Fig. 10: A strong emphasis on linearity is evident when viewed from Hope Street
Whilst the same does not entirely apply to the Hope Street Hotel extension, it does do its utmost to pay homage to and respect the street’s history – yet it still needs to make a statement, and with this in mind, perhaps it should be given more credit for the way in which it does incorporate various historical aspects into its design while still managing to portray itself so boisterously and distinctively. Therefore, its excessive nature might be forgiven - and as such, while it can be said that Hope Street’s newer buildings undoubtedly distinguish themselves as different they are, in many ways, welcome additions to a very prestigious row.
Endnotes 1
(McChesney 2015) (Results Announced! Urbanism Awards 2012) 3 (The List - Advanced Search Results n.d.) 4 (Falconer Chester Hall Architects 2009) 5 (Falconer Chester Hall Architects 2009) 6 (Hope Street Hotel 2011) 7 (Sharples 2004) 8 (Falconer Chester Hall Architects 2009) 9 (Sharples 2004) 10 (Sharples 2004) 11 (Sharples 2004) 12 (Sharples 2004) 2
Bibiliography 2009. Falconer Chester Hall Architects complete Hope Street Hotel extension. November 18. Accessed January 1, 2018. https://www.sleepermagazine.com/falconer-chester-hall-architects-complete-hope-street-hotel-extension/. 2011. Hope Street Hotel. Accessed January 2, 2018. http://www.northerndesignawards.com/ entry/2011/hope-street-hotel/. McChesney, Niall. 2015. Life on Hope Street. September. Accessed January 1, 2018. http:// www.merseysidermagazine.com/site/local-history/life-on-hope-street/. 2012. Results Announced! Urbanism Awards 2012. September 28. Accessed January 1, 2018. http://www.academyofurbanism.org.uk/urbanism-awards-2012-tickets/. Sharples, Joseph. 2004. Pevsner Architectural Guides Liverpool. Edited by Nikolaus Pevsner. Yale University Press. n.d. The List - Advanced Search Results. Accessed January 1, 2018. https://historicengland. org.uk/listing/the-list/results?searchtype=nhleadvanced/.
Images (Listed in order of appearance. Images not sourced are owned by the author). Richards, Stephen. Photo of Federation House, Liverpool. Digital image. Geograph. April 18, 2012. Accessed January 3, 2018. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2904588. Digital Map of Hope Street, Liverpool. Digital image. Digimap. January 3, 2018. Accessed January 3, 2018. http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/os. Neill, Pat. William Mitchell relief, Federation House. Digital image. Liverpool Monuments. 2007. Accessed January 4, 2018. http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/buildings/federation. html. Photo of Hope Street Hotel and extension. Digital image. Falconer Chester Hall. Accessed January 2, 2018. https://www.fcharchitects.com/project/hope-street-hotel/. Looking up at Hope Street Hotel extension. Digital image. Falconer Chester Hall. Accessed January 2, 2018. Photo of Hope Street Hotel and extension. Digital image. Falconer Chester Hall. Accessed January 2, 2018. https://www.fcharchitects.com/project/hope-street-hotel/. Wynne, McCoy. Hotel’s Reception. Digital image. Northern Design Awards. 2011. Accessed January 2, 2018. http://www.northerndesignawards.com/entry/2011/hope-street-hotel. Wynne, McCoy. Oak Staircase. Digital image. Northern Design Awards. 2011. Accessed January 2, 2018. http://www.northerndesignawards.com/entry/2011/hope-street-hotel. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Digital image. Caruso St John Architects. Accessed January 4, 2018. https://www.carusostjohn.com/projects/liverpool-philharmonic-hall/. Vile, Philip. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Digital image. The Stage. March 13, 2014. Accessed January 4, 2018. https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/2014/another-opening-just-another-theatre/. Philharmonic Dining Rooms Gates. Digital image. Alamy. Accessed January 4, 2018. http:// www.alamy.com/stock-photo/liverpool-philharmonic-dining-rooms.html. William Mitchell relief, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Digital image. Flickriver. Accessed January 4, 2018. http://www.flickriver.com/groups/william_mitchell/pool/interesting/. Neill, Pat. William Mitchell relief, Federation House. Digital image. Liverpool Monuments. 2007. Accessed January 4, 2018. http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/buildings/federation. html. Google Street View image of Federation House, Liverpool. Digital image. Google Maps. Accessed January 4, 2018.