Hidden in Plain Sight
Awakening sleeping beauties is such a rewarding part of our work. Proudly stood on the corner of one of our favourite neighbourhoods in one of our favourite cities, 105 Duke Street in Ropewalks has kept its charms hidden from the good people of Liverpool for too long.
When CERT Property asked us to help them put this beauty back on the map with a new creative vision we couldn't resist.
105 Duke Street was built in 1800 at the height of Liverpool's seaport heyday. Not only was it Liverpool's first public library, the building also housed an extensive Natural History Collection donated by The Earl of Derby.
As we started to peel back the layers of the building its hidden history revealed itself piece by piece offering up inspirational surprises at every turn.
Hidden vaults, cavernous basements, a courtyard atrium, interconnected buildings and period details were amongst the delights discovered behind false ceilings and partition walls just waiting for a new lease of life.
Rebrand and reposition
Working closely with the CERT Property development team and Elevate Architects we set about defining a new vision that repositions the building as a next generation workplace. Rebranding the development as Duke & Parr acknowledges the two very different buildings coming together to create a place where work, social and leisure spaces connect. The brand identity and renewed sense of purpose set the tone for developing an interior strategy that embraces the old and the new.
Rather than treat the project as a typical historical restoration project, we took an agile approach to respectfully peel back the layers of the building to reveal its authentic heart, making decisions along the way on what to retain, remove, repair and refresh. Creating connections between the different parts of the building to produce a versitile footprint was essential to keep it an attractive proposition for a variety of potential tenants.
The repositioning strategy paid off, within weeks of Duke&Parr's completion the entire building was let to a local games company, becoming Liverpool's biggest office letting in years.
