City centres contain multiple historic buildings that are often bypassed during daily transit. The Liver Building, the cathedrals, and the Radio City Tower are prominent, but other, quieter structures in Liverpool have had a much broader impact on global architecture.
Several Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings in Liverpool introduced design techniques that became standard in international architecture. Peter Ellis designed the first metal-framed glass curtain walls here in the 1860s, a method later adopted for high-rise construction in Chicago and New York.
Here are six Liverpool structures that introduced pioneering concepts to the architectural world.
1. Oriel Chambers, Water Street
The grandfather of the skyscraper
Oriel Chambers stands next to the James Street station entrance at 14 Water Street (L2 8TD). Completed in 1864 by architect Peter Ellis, the building is the direct ancestor of modern commercial architecture. It is the first building in the world to feature a metal-framed glass curtain wall.
Upon its completion, the local press criticized the design, with the Builder journal describing it as a "monstrous" structure and an "agglomeration of protruding plate-glass bubbles." Architect Peter Ellis was so discouraged by this feedback that he did not design major projects in Liverpool again. However, Chicago architects like John Wellborn Root studied Ellis's drawings and subsequently applied these principles to early American skyscrapers.
- Look Closer: Stand on the north side of Water Street to get a clear view of the canted glass window bays that allow light to flood the interior office spaces.
- Related Guide: Read our Liverpool Architecture Local Guide for more historic details about the commercial district.
2. 16 Cook Street
The experimental sequel
Tucked behind Castle Street at 16 Cook Street (L2 9RF), this office block was completed by Peter Ellis in 1866. It contains the second metal-framed glass curtain wall constructed globally.
The building's real treasure is in the rear courtyard: a cast-iron spiral staircase that is cantilevered from the floors and entirely enclosed within a glass turret, allowing light to reach the lower levels of the narrow alleyway.
- Look Closer: The courtyard is accessible to pedestrians during standard business hours. Walk through the entryway off Cook Street to see the Victorian engineering behind the main facade.
3. India Buildings, Water Street
Manhattan scale with a Merseyrail shortcut
Occupying an entire city block on Water Street, India Buildings is a massive commercial block designed by architects Herbert J. Rowse and Arnold Thornely between 1924 and 1932.
Commissioned by Alfred Holt and Company for the Blue Funnel Line, the building features an internal shopping arcade with a barrel-vaulted ceiling, Italian travertine marble cladding, and bronze shopfronts. The interior light fixtures are modeled on those at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence.
- Look Closer: The basement of the building connects directly to the James Street Merseyrail station, meaning commuters walk through a Grade II* listed marble hall on their daily route.
- Related Guide: Discover the city's maritime history in our Liverpool Heritage Trail Guide.
4. Radiant House, Bold Street
Art Deco sleekness
Completed in 1929 at 18-26 Bold Street (L1 4DS), Radiant House was designed by architect Herbert J. Rowse as the headquarters for the Liverpool Gas Company.
The building features a glazed white terra-cotta (faience) facade and a central clock face. The ground floor retail space was originally used as a public showroom for gas appliances, showcasing modern domestic technology to the interwar public.
- Look Closer: The words "Gas Company" remain carved into the stonework above the first-floor windows, a permanent reminder of the building's industrial origin.
5. 102 High Street, Wavertree
A Georgian survivor
Located at 102 High Street, Wavertree (L15 8JN), this structure features the last remaining bow-fronted shop window from the Georgian era in the Liverpool region.
Constructed in the late 18th century, the building survived because Wavertree remained a distinct agricultural village outside the municipal boundary until its annexation in 1895. The structure is Grade II* listed.
- Look Closer: The timber window frame and glazing bars stand immediately adjacent to a modern retail outlet, showing the stark contrast between 18th-century village scale and modern commercial streetscapes.
- Related Guide: Read our Wavertree & Smithdown Local Guide for other historic spots nearby.
6. The Swedish Seamen’s Church, Park Lane
Scandinavian minimalism in the Baltic
Built in 1883 at 1 Park Lane (L1 8AL), this octagonal brick structure served as the Gustaf Adolf Swedish Seamen's Church. Designed by Swedish architect Adolf Emil Melander, it is one of only four surviving octagonal churches in the United Kingdom.
It was built to accommodate the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish sailors passing through the Mersey docks, who numbered over 50,000 annually in the late 19th century. The interior contains wood carvings, maritime models, and sculptures by local artist Arthur Dooley.
- Look Closer: The surrounding area was named the "Baltic Triangle" due to the intense timber trade and shipping links with the Baltic ports in the 18th and 19th centuries, anchored by this church.
- Related Guide: Discover the modern face of the area in our Baltic Triangle Guide.
Don't Forget to Look Up
The modern architectural methods used to construct commercial skyscrapers worldwide are visible in the structures along Water Street and Cook Street. Oriel Chambers took eleven years to get a kind word from the local press, and Peter Ellis never built a major project again. Yet, the Chicago architects who learned from his drawings went on to define the modern global skyline.
