The Spine takes shape in Knowledge Quarter Liverpool

The northern headquarters of the Royal College of Physicians is to be known as The Spine in reference to its iconic staircase which resembles human vertebrae.

Occupying a 160,000 square foot site in Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, The Spine will be among the first to achieve the international WELL standard for modern building design in the UK.

Though the bottom three and top four floors will accommodate a 70,000 square foot Centre of Clinical Excellence for the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), the remaining seven floors will house innovative and contemporary workspaces for the health, science and education sectors.

Due to open its doors in 2020, the £35 million pound Spine development forms part of the £1 billion pound Paddington Village scheme. Here, Morgan Sindall has partnered with Liverpool City Council to deliver the first phase of infrastructure and public realm works, in addition to the creation of market ready development plots.

Phase II will see the arrival of The Spine, with Morgan Sindall consulting AHR Architects and Arup for design and engineering expertise.

According to Professor Jane Dacre, President of RCP: “The development of our new Liverpool home is really beginning to gather pace and the confirmation of its name feels like another important step forward.

“The building will bring high quality research, medical training, examination and conference facilities to the city, marking a crucial milestone in our objective to work more closely with our regional members.

“Central to the design brief was a sense that the new building must embody our commitment to wellbeing, benefitting both our team and our neighbours, and the WELL standard is the definitive measure of success in that area.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson added: “Knowledge Quarter Liverpool is at the vanguard of the city’s economic growth potential and the arrival of RCP North brings added momentum to our plans to create a world-class innovation district.

“The Spine is an apt name, not only due to its medical connotations, but also because this development forms the central backbone of our long-term plans for the Paddington Village scheme.

“It’s also highly encouraging that The Spine will pursue world-class standards of build and design, hopefully raising the bar for sustainable future development in Liverpool and creating an excellent working environment for the RCP and other new occupiers in the building.”

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