Architects unveil their ideas in the Liverpool City Region Forgotten Spaces Competition.

17 architectural practises from across the country, including the 2019 Stirling prize winner Mikhail Riches, will be presenting their unique designs for six sites across the Liverpool City Region this week (Thursday 27^th February 2020) as part of the Forgotten Spaces competition.

Organised by the Liverpool City Region Design Champion Paul Monaghan, Forgotten Spaces asks architects to explore design options to improve a particular site nominated by each of the six local authorities – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

The six sites are:

• Shopping City, Halton Lea.


• The Strand, Bootle.


• Earlestown Market, Newton-le-Willows.


• Bebington Road, New Ferry, Wirral.


• The Band Stand, Otterspool Park.


• Kemble Street, Prescot.

The Liverpool City Region is steeped in well-known architecture and the aim of Forgotten Places is to stimulate thought and discussion around what could be achieved through good quality design and placemaking.

Each of the designs will be critiqued by a panel of judges led by Programme Director of the World Architecture Festival (WAF) and Editorial Director of Architectural Review and the Architects’ Journal, Paul Finch.

He is joined by LCR Design Champion Paul Monaghan who is founding Director of Stirling Prize winning architecture practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris; Mairi Johnson – Director of Estates at National Museums Liverpool; Julian Lewis, co-founder and Director of urban design practice East; Masterplanner and Architect Selina Mason; Urban Splash co-founder Jonathan Falkingham and Louise Wyman – Design Lead at West Midlands Combined Authority and a Director at Homes England.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City region said:

“I want the Liverpool City Region to be somewhere people want to live, work and visit and the quality of our built environment plays a key role in achieving that.  As Metro Mayor I am absolutely committed to raising the quality of design which is why I appointed the Sterling Prize-winning architect Paul Monaghan as our Design Champion.   

“We know we have a vibrant and innovative architectural sector in the city region and it is really good to see so many city region-based practices taking part in Forgotten Spaces. It is important to me that we not only nurture our local talent but that we welcome talent from across the country to be part of our place making agenda.”

In 2014-15 Liverpool was the first city region to be home to both the Stirling Prize winner, which was the Everyman Theatre by Haworth Tompkins, and the Turner Prize winner – Granby Four Streets by Assemble.

The public is welcome to watch the design presentations which are being held between 10am and 5.30pm on 27th February 2020 at RIBA North, 21 Mann Island, Liverpool.