Good ol' Wayne, reduced to a footnote on page 22 of the UNESCO report, which didn't find fault in this... (snort)

What a stupid article that is... To start with you cannot compare the three graces to the Taj or any of the other wonders of the world, i cant see Sky sending Karl Pilkington down to come and see this wonder...

To the bloke who's view is spoiled from the pub when he is looking out maybe he should be looking at the wide screen tv or generally engaging in conversation with people, but he is probably by himself so the view would have been his only company.

I need not say anything about Wayne and his one man 'trust'.

The 'view' only exists from one side the south side. The view was taken away from the North End of Liverpool years ago. I could not hear any complaining when buildings were built to mask the view then. The fact is the city needed to build something there lets be honest most of the time with the weather being the way it is it is windy, wet and generally inhospitable. After the debacle and fall out from the cloud this building won. It is a bit like marmite you either love it or hate it. I have read accounts at how people were not overly impressed with the liver building when that was first built but that has stood the test of time and beyond.

This building is going no where. If you want to view the 3 graces go and see them (not in pub).

Liverpool preservation trust, HELLO Wyane is that you all on your lonesome my god man how do become a trust all by yourself. we are a growing dynamic city not an antiques shop get it.

What I don't get is how it managed to get built without much complaint, given the uproar surrounding the Cloud and Museum of Liverpool - both of which are designs of real architectural merit, which don't/wouldn't have block(ed) the view of the three graces - The black box somehow seems to have "slipped in under the radar" and done everything that the naysayers said that the other two designs would do.

Personally, I don't have any complaints about them, other than I wish they'd be finished a bit sooner.

I think they're an excellent contrast to the 3 Graces; it's all a part of modernising the waterfront and I think people need to let go of the whole 'classic Liverpool waterfront' view, and accept that we can have other buildings. (I think Liverpool Waters is an amazing idea also, but that's for another debate)

Make that three. In fact make that loads of people in the city who like Mann island. The view was pretty good before but I like its dynamism now. And me, and many others like me are sick of cranks like Wayne O'loon determined to drag our city back into the dark ages. Since when has margy Clarke been an arbiter of taste? The trouble is people who like these buildings are usually too busy getting on with there lives to post in things like this, so bitter old weirdos like Wayne dominant the debate. They are here. They are modern Liverpool, not crumbling empire Liverpool and I think we should embrace them. The new open eye gallery will be in there also. How great will that be? Maybe we could have had a better building, but I think the cranks would have dragged it down even quicker. Hopefully now this is the start of a dramatic new waterfront stretching to the northern docks.

It doesn't necessarily mean they like 'em tho does it! And let's face it, it would be hard to do a walk around there and avoid them. *Sighs*

Funny you should say they wouldn't pass a RIBA course as the buildings (called Longitude and Latitude, btw) are used as a starting point for the new RIBA Gateway to Liverpool architecture walks, and the glass corridor (dubbed the Equator - see what they did there?) is being used for a RIBA photography exhibition right this momentt.

There'll soon be a trip boat departing from the plaza outside Longitude & Latitude that will take passengers to the old, majestic yet outrageously derelict Stanley Dock and back. I think the contrasts will be fascinating.

Liverpoolpreservationtrust, you really are a boring troll.

There's extremes to everything, you're a little left or right of centre and everything is okay, you hit either end of the horseshoe and you're just another blinkered idiot.

You're just as bad as those who want to knock down everything and turn the space into ugly new-builds. I'm admittedly not a fan of Mann Island (I am of the new museum though) but hell you hate everything!

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/201...

Mann Island nominated for BD Carbuncle cup award

Apologies. There were several references to dress codes in the article which is what I picked up on. Sorry for your mate, though. The situation simply required a manager with common sense.

That piece isn't about dress codes; it's about disability. You either didn't read it properly or have misunderstood it.

You're right. I'd agree that the new Lpool building's quite similar to Libeskind's building. I've never heard of Libeskind's building before and neither has any non-anorak in Liverpool. It's also 6000 miles away!

Have you ever seen the interior of Leeds town hall? It's an absolute ringer for St George's Hall. I don't think that's damaged either building's reputation. You don't design an 'iconic' building. It either becomes one or it doesn't.

I'm a new convert to this site and I think it's great. I'd just prefer it if it was a bit more positive. It's important to highlight things that are wrong but we've also got a lot to celebrate in our city don't you think?

The whiny article about the reaturant dress code was needless. The place sounds so awful I don't know why you'd want to go there anyway. You may not like dress codes but some of us DO. Remember dress down Fridays? Remember that workers actually found it HELPFUL to have a dress code and went back to how they were dressed before. If I go the bank I don't want to be served by someone in a football shirt (it actually happened one Friday).

If you and your friends go to, say, the Panoramic for dinner on your mum's 60th birthday all dressed up for the special occasion do you want some people in trackies and baseball caps on the next table? It kind of kills the moment for me I have to say. You feel overdressed and they probably feel underdressed.

Equally, I love those great neighbourhood places like The Tavern or down Lark Lane where you don't need to make an effort. If you stand on the Kop you don't wear a f**king suit right? It's all about dressing the right way for the right occasion.

Very few people are able to do it these days.

It shares DNA with these:

http://www.egodesign.ca/en/article.php?article_id=...

http://www.nextjet.se/Assets/0,1020,956779,00.jpg

http://closedstacks.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/ex...

http://www.kunstmuseum.li/?page=2148&lan=en

http://simplyhousingaround.files.wordpress.com/200...

http://devule.com/modern/soundhouse-facade-design-...

and it’s not as inspired as this

http://pentagram.com/en/new/2009/11/new-work-the-c...

If you're not cynical then where are the positive comments in your above arcticle? You may not like the new buildings but tell me - if they're unoriginal and bland - please cite what OTHER building they look like?

It's a fine balance between iconic and vulgar. Personally, I thought the 'Cloud' design by Alsop was a monstrosity. There's too much vulgarity in our city. Go out on a Saturday night in our great city and tell me do the girls dress with style? NO WAY MATE. They look like transvestites! Too much fake tan. Too much make-up. 6'' platform shoes. Bright pink mini dresses. Am I being cynical or am I stating the embarrassing truth?

Oh God, maybe that's another debate for you....

But that's the problem, Sir Snot, the new buildings *are* bland. And they're anything but modern. They're ten years out of date before they're even completed. Give us real, exciting and original new structures worthy of the spot (and whatever you say, a waterfront location demands an iconic building, whether it's Liverpool, Sydney or Shanghai) and you'll get no complaints from us. Cynical? We try not to be. Opinionated? That's as much a part of our DNA as it is with anyone in this city. As it should be.

How about taking a look around the website? There's plenty of non-cynical stuff on here.

Try this one on for size:

http://www.sevenstreets.com/city-living/feature-ci...

God, this website's so cynical! I thought I was a cynic but I'm obviously just a lightweight.

Tell me this - can you still walk comfortably around our beloved three graces and view them? Yes. If you stand with your back to the river and look at them front-on is the view obscured? No. Is it necessary to see the three graces from London Road? No!

I agree that anything being built in Liverpool's most prominent site needs to be good. I love the new Museum of Liverpool Life. I can't say I 'love' the new black-clad buildings but I do think they are original and modern.

I'm not aware of any classic buildings that were demolished to make way for the new ones. Any great modern city should blend beautiful old buildings with newer architecture that shows we've still got our eye on the ball. The fact that we're having this debate proves that the new buildings are anything but bland! Liverpool is not a bland, beige city. It's a city of character, colour and personality.

Make it two then.

There is always one, isn't there.

PS, i liked the cloud too, although after seeing what happens to Will Alsops architecture on a visit to one of his mesh clad buildings in London, I dont think it would have looked pretty after 12 months - more a tangled mess of pigeon feathers rust.

I think it does say something. The design has a number of interesting features.

Its materiality is one which allows the past to reflect across the black panelling and the arrangement is again following this magic number we seem to have in Liverpool for clusters - 3

3 graces, the three 60's office blocks that cluster around old hall st, and now these three building types.

I do appreciated a view has been lost but this is a typical reaction, not necessarily the wrong reaction and it to say as such shouldnt be taken as a challenge.

The architecture is of its day. As were the three graces and other design we have seen across the city over the last 100 years that we have come to either love or hate (or somewhere in between)

Again, if Liverpool had ever given any time to complaints of lost views and interupted vista's we would not have the Anglican Cathedral (blocking the views to Wales for the georgian terraces)

We would have cancelled St johns tower due to its proximity to St georges hall.

We would have also cancelled the Royal Liver building for fear of it blocking the views of the Goree pizzas and requiring filling in a dock.

We need to embrace new architecture. Opposing constantly has only lead to missed opportunities and more recently, the downsizing of Liverpool one - again to appease some misguided romanticised notion of city that no longer exists.

Michael, that sounds like you're saying 'this is a building compromised by committee' - I was 100% behind The Cloud. That did shout 'fuck off' but this one, it doesn't shout anything particularly worth hearing, does it? If you're going to stick your head above the parapet, you need to wear a fancy hat.

What you are looking at is the result of planners trying there upmost to dance around heritage-lead objections, UNESCO and various other "advisory" panels who give there point of view.

A lot of time and effort on the part of the architect went into this design to ensure that it met the brief as well as the demands of the local authorities.

All of the buildings on the waterfont (including the ones we obsess about as icons) have resulted in blocking a view, filling in a dock etc etc.

These buildings represent the city today. Bold, contrasting, different, stick out, stand in the way and shout "F**k off" to everyone who objects.

Isnt this what Liverpool is actually famous for?

Spot on. The best thing we could do is bang a compulsory purchase order on them and knock them down.
Maybe Steve G has bought the top top and might do us a favour and dismantle them???

i do. I have them flown in from various countries. Saves the expense and palava of holidays.

No more archway postcards. (Do people still send postcards? They should. But not of these.)

I cant believe these abominations were passed.

Cheers. It's odd how people only seem to have woken up to this now... wonder what they thought was going on there? Very sad.

Here is a couple of pieces we did earlier on the three black slugs and the white coffin down on our world heritage site imagine if they had done this to the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids the world outrage that would have ensued.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/sea...

The worst thing is - the image at the top of this piece (which is great, by the way - and kudos on the site) is only the official computer generated mockup of it. In real life it looks even worse.

Margi Clarke, bless her, dubbed them the Black Coffins. I think that is apt as it is certainly the death of the best view in Liverpool.
If you want to know who passed the plans for Mann Island look no further than Lady Doreen Jones. As LibDem chair of the Planning Committee in 2006 she used her casting vote after a 4-4 split from the councillors. There were cries of SHAME from the public gallery as she approved this act of civic vandalism.

'Damaged Borg cube' is the simile you're looking for, Crab

Actually - it looks pretty good next to the pyramids :-)

What an absolute disgrace that building is. The greatest square mile of architecture in the UK looks as if some quasi-fucked up alien ship has landed in front of it. The view of the Three Graces, when sat outside the Pumphouse pub on a sunny day nursing a pint, was THE archetypal viewpoint in the city. And now its gone. A shambles and a abomination. Heads should fucking roll.

Haha - very funny. I was pretty excited for this building, but it's becoming a real eyesore.