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Designs announced for Liverpool Statue of Liberty
A prominent Liverpool architect has designed the city’s very own version of The Statue of Liberty, to be known as the ‘Homecoming’.
The steel-framed structure will comprise a 23-storey high building, perched on a five-storey nest, 100m in diameter and located on the River Mersey near Liverpool city centre.
David Backhouse, who designed the award-winning Cavern Walks and the Cavern Club in Liverpool, as well as The Gardens in Manchester says he has now turned his expertise into giving Liverpool that one, stand-out building that sets it apart from the rest of the world.
Homecoming – The Statue of Liverpool takes the form of the iconic Liver Bird, standing 100m tall and nesting at the entrance to Liverpool in the River Mersey. It will be fully self-sustainable with zero energy costs as power will be provided through wind turbines within the ‘wings’ of the structure and tidal turbines underneath the ‘nest’. The golden green bird will also be covered in diamond shaped photovoltaic cells converting solar power into energy.
The building will house an atrium on every floor and will be able to accommodate a variety of activities, ranging from a luxury hotel and apartment complex to specialised shopping outlets and creative spaces.
A split-level restaurant will be located behind the Liver Birds eyes, offering a panoramic view of Liverpool, similar to that of the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Oriental Peal Tower in Shanghai. Numerous leisure activities including a Genealogy museum linked to New York’s Ellis Island are also planned.
Architect David Backhouse said: “This is the culmination of an idea we had nearly 30 years ago now. The concept has never been far from my thoughts throughout my years of working on many prestigious Liverpool-based projects. I’m so pleased now to finally present the idea to both the city, and the world!” His team believe that the project will become another great Liverpool landmark and a huge tourist attraction, set just downstream from the world famous ‘Three Graces’.