Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure has begun work on The Spine, a 160,000 sq ft building in the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) development zone. The Spine takes its name from a striking staircase on its north elevation that resembles human vertebrae.
Not surprisingly given its client, the aim is for the building to be one of the healthiest workspaces for mental and physical wellbeing in the UK. It is hoped that it will be among the first to achieve the international WELL standard of modern building design when it opens its doors in 2020.
The bottom three and top four storeys will become a new 70,000 sq ft centre of clinical excellence for the Royal College of Physicians while the remaining seven floors will offer flexible workspaces for organisations in the health, science and education sectors.
Features of the building include an internal sky garden, a ‘fine dining’ restaurant available for private hire, a large bicycle and shower facility and under-croft car parking for 50 spaces featuring five electric charging points. A dedicated mezzanine exhibition space will connect via a spiral staircase to a ground floor café and foyer, while each of the floors, which are about 11,550 sq ft, will enjoy views of the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling glazing throughout.
The project is part of Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure’s appointment by Liverpool City Council to deliver two projects at the Paddington Village scheme (link opens in new tab).
The company has instigated the planning process and consultant appointments for the building and last year appointed AHR Architects and Arup to design the building and advise on how to achieve the WELL standard.
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