£11million Mersey observatory design unveiled

Mar 17 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

THE winning design for what is expected to become one of Merseyside’s most popular tourist attractions is unveiled today.

A new £11.6m Observatory at Crosby, looking down on Antony Gormley’s Iron Men statues and across the Mersey, will be created by Duggan Morris Architects.

The firm beat off strong competition from around the world with their proposal for two distinct structures, one of which will dominate the Crosby skyline.

The existing Seaforth radar tower near to the beach will be demolished this summer to make way for a series of rotating ellipses towering 30 metres to an observation deck. When viewed from the ground, the observation deck will glow like a table lamp at night – its walls made out of a special material which glows without the need for artificial light.

In its shadow, a smaller visitor centre will be built with open-air amphitheatre, exhibition space and cafe/restaurant with views of Antony Gormley’s Another Place installation.

A promenade will split the two eco-friendly buildings with small hut structures offering places of rest and reflection.

The Duggan Morris design was chosen from a short list of five put forward for public consultation.

Ian Hamilton Fazey, panel judge and chair of Waterloo Residents Association, said he hoped it would bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the borough.

“We are so happy with the winning design, they understood the great unique point of the project to have an amazing view when you got to the top.

“I am convinced it will give the public a unique tourist destination.

“It came out the favourite with people in the Crosby area and they are the ones who are going to have to look at it every day,” said Mr Hamilton-Fazey.

Wind, tidal and solar power will be harnessed to try and make the structures carbon neutral.

Rainwater will be collected for use in toilets and irrigation and solar thermal panels will heat water in the buildings.

The international design competition attracted 92 designs from around the world including New York, Italy and China.

The brief was to design a new 30 metre tower with viewing platform for 200 people, a cafe and educational facilities.

Those in the final short list of five announced at the end of last year were each given a £6,000 honorarium and time to develop their plans.

Ideas included a lighthouse inspired design, an elegant V-shaped structure with cantilevered viewing platform and a dramatic structure with high “piers” over the river. Joe Morris, director of Duggan Morris Architects, said: “The challenge was to create something to complement the extraordinary setting whilst having sufficient gravitas to act as a beacon in its own right.

“Our design draws reference from Liverpool’s ever-present industrial heritage and its wealth of prestigious historical buildings.”

“Set within this context we designed a bold, dramatic form that will sit bravely against the skyline enticing intrigue and suspense to all those who see it.”

The Mersey Observatory project, supported by Sefton Council, the Mersey Basin campaign, Mersey Waterfront, Peel Ports, the North West Development Agency and Liverpool Biennial will sit alongside Antony Gormley’s installation and the planned Sefton Water Centre.

Laurie Peake, panel judge and programme director for Liverpool Biennial, said: “I think the judges were impressed by the simplicity of the design and its elegant form.

“It is a distinctive but gentle edition to the landscape which will be a simple building to run and maintain.”

Mr Hamilton-Fazey hopes the three attractions will complement each other and attract investment.

He added: “This would not have been possible without Another Place, it made Crosby into a serious destination and has attracted extra investment.”

“And if Merseytravel get permission for their proposal to have a ferry stage, people will be able to travel here, go up the observatory and look down onto the Gormley statues.”