West Tower
Encyclopedia
West Tower is a 40-storey tall skyscraper in Liverpool
, England
. The building was the second tower to be built by Carillion in Liverpool for property developers Beetham
, who now use the building as their headquarters.
) and the 83rd tallest in the European Union. The building commands views across the city, over the Mersey to the Wirral and as far as Blackpool on a clear day. The first five floors are the new headquarters for the Beetham Organization
and the remaining floors, apart from the 34th, have been divided into luxury apartments and penthouses.
The five floors of Beetham’s offices are set back between concrete columns and are fully glazed to provide an "animated façade" at street level. A glazed lift and stair serving the office are accommodated between raking fins with views to the river.
The 127 apartments are clad in a fully glazed perimeter curtain wall of random clear and opaque panels and are orientated to provide views of both the city and river. The upper penthouse floors are tiered back to incorporate external terraces behind glazed balustrade screens.
The 34th floor is home to Britain's highest restaurant, Panoramic. This floor is completely clad in a clear glass perimeter offering diners views of the city of Liverpool and further afield.
the best Mixed Use Development prize. This prize was awarded for best use of land which would normally have stood barren; creation of an iconic building; and best use of limited space.
investments, while 17 were owner-occupied or unsold.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The building was the second tower to be built by Carillion in Liverpool for property developers Beetham
Beetham Organization
The Beetham Organisation is a privately owned property development and investment company based in Liverpool, UK. It was founded by Hugh Frost as Oastdren Investments in 1985. Its primary focus is city centre real estate, specialising in hotel, residential and office projects...
, who now use the building as their headquarters.
Description
With a spire height of 140 metres (459 ft) and 40 floors, West Tower is Liverpool’s tallest building, the 18th tallest in the United Kingdom (third tallest outside of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) and the 83rd tallest in the European Union. The building commands views across the city, over the Mersey to the Wirral and as far as Blackpool on a clear day. The first five floors are the new headquarters for the Beetham Organization
Beetham Organization
The Beetham Organisation is a privately owned property development and investment company based in Liverpool, UK. It was founded by Hugh Frost as Oastdren Investments in 1985. Its primary focus is city centre real estate, specialising in hotel, residential and office projects...
and the remaining floors, apart from the 34th, have been divided into luxury apartments and penthouses.
The five floors of Beetham’s offices are set back between concrete columns and are fully glazed to provide an "animated façade" at street level. A glazed lift and stair serving the office are accommodated between raking fins with views to the river.
The 127 apartments are clad in a fully glazed perimeter curtain wall of random clear and opaque panels and are orientated to provide views of both the city and river. The upper penthouse floors are tiered back to incorporate external terraces behind glazed balustrade screens.
The 34th floor is home to Britain's highest restaurant, Panoramic. This floor is completely clad in a clear glass perimeter offering diners views of the city of Liverpool and further afield.
Awards
At the 4th Liverpool Daily Post Regional Property Awards in association with RBS, Beetham West Tower won AedasAedas
Aedas is an international architectural firm operating in 31 offices in 20 countries. The practice provides Architecture, Interior Design, Building Consultancy, Research & Development, Imaging, Urban Design and Landscape Design services...
the best Mixed Use Development prize. This prize was awarded for best use of land which would normally have stood barren; creation of an iconic building; and best use of limited space.
Administration
In February 2011, the West Tower went into administration after the parent companies were hit by falling property prices. Of the 123 apartments, 106 had been purchased as buy to letBuy to let
Buy-to-let is a British phrase referring to the purchase of a property specifically to let out. A buy to let mortgage is a mortgage specifically designed for this purpose....
investments, while 17 were owner-occupied or unsold.
External links
- Beetham Organization homepage (requires flash-player)
- Aedas Architects homepage