Liverpool South Docks
Location: South Docks, Liverpool
Client: British Waterway
Team: Baca, Mott Macdonald
Status: Waterspace plan adopted
Scale: 50 hectares (37 water)
The Canal & River Trust appointed international architects BACA to produce an innovative and creative waterspace strategy to unlock the potential of the historic docks. The strategy has been developed as a guide to inform future development of the waterspace within the South Docks. It seeks to transform the docks into a vibrant cultural centre extending from Canning Dock in the north to Brunswick Dock in the south. Baca received an award for ‘Masterplanning and Strategy’ at the Water Renaissance Awards. Baca director Richard Coutts proudly received the award on behalf of the practice.
Making use of its unique World Heritage setting, the strategy identifies potential for three distinct character zones within the docks:
- The Culture Zone - Albert and Canning Docks
- Mixed-use Zone – Dukes Dock and Wapping Basin
- Leisure & Aquatic Zone – new opening bridges in Wapping, Queens, Brunswick and Coburg Docks
- Mixed-use Zone – Dukes Dock and Wapping Basin could be home to a floating waterpark with kiosks and pavilions at the quayside to encourage year round activity.
- Leisure & Aquatic Zone – new opening bridges in Wapping, Queens, Brunswick and Coburg Docks would improve and enhance the existing marina and expand the number of moorings for a wide variety of boats.
- The Culture Zone - Albert and Canning Docks would be the centre of future boat festivals, cultural celebrations and even a floating sculpture park. Salthouse Dock could be a floating event space with enhanced public realm and improved interaction between the land and water.