20.08.2017 - 23.12.2017
Curated by Suzy Jones and Joseph Sharples
"Liverpoole is one of hte wonders of Britian. What it may grow to in time I know not." - Daniel Defoe, 1715
Liverpool's future has always invited speculation, and architects are always ready with ideas to transform the city. Historically the city's international vision, architectural ambition and fearless approach to city planning have attracted groundbreaking and extraordinary proposals. Some of these never progressed past the the drawing board; others helped create a cityscape that is uniquely memorable. With drawings, models and watercolours from the RIBA Collection, this exhibition looked back on Liverpool's architectural audacity, its willingness to consider unconventional schemes and how this maverick enthusiasm has resulted in the dramatic and celebrated skyline we see today. We may think of Liverpool as a permanent entity, of its buildings as an inevitable feature of a stable and enduring system. In reality it is constantly changing, reinventing itself and developing in a way that reflects perceptions of prosperity, cultural identity, shifting economic priorities and emerging international relationships. Liverpool has an abiding ability to attract bold, and at times contentious, architectural proposals; this exhibition not only looked back ath the city's architectural heritage but also to the future of how Liverpool continues to evolve.
Images: Johannes Marburg
