Formerly rundown warehouses and dock buildings, the site directly between two of Liverpool's most historic buildings was heavily investigated before numerous proposals for new builds were submitted as part of a competition to create a 'Fourth Grace'. Three proposals were submitted, all of which received criticism for their appearance and contrast to the city's famed historic skyline. The work of Alsop Architects was chosen to become the 'Fourth Grace', however, it was beset with difficulties, and was cancelled in 2004 due to spiralling costs. It was only after all of these ideas were scrapped when the £120 million Mann Island Development was chosen to become the new complex to occupy the site.
The project
Construction of the buildings, which are similar in height to the nearby Port of Liverpool Building, Cunard Building and Royal Liver Building began in 2008 during Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture. At the same time, work also began on a close neighbour to the Mann Island development - the Museum of Liverpool. Although the buildings have different heights and usage, each consists of 13 storeys. The Mann Island Buildings are home to 376 apartments, of retail/leisure units, of net office space and of covered space.
The buildings
The three buildings are to the south of the Mann Island roadway, opposite the Port of Liverpool Building, and are numbered No.1, No.11 and No.15 Mann Island. No.15, next to the Museum of Liverpool, is called the Latitude building and No.11 is the Longitude building. Connecting the two is a double-height glass atrium called Equator House which often hosts RIBA architectural displays and launch events for the Open Eye Gallery next-door. Both Latitude and Longitude are mixed commercial and residential spaces, with restaurants, cafés and galleries on the ground floor, and accommodation starting on the 2nd floor. There is a gap in the 1st floor, that was originally meant to be a mezzanine for the commercial spaces below, but this has now been adapted as private open plan office and co-working space. No.1 Mann Island, next to the Strand, is occupied almost entirely by Merseytravel and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Two levels of car-parking extend beneath the Latitude and Longitude buildings, which is shared between residents and Merseytravel staff. Mann Island is home to the RIBA North gallery, opened in 2017.
Reception
Critical response to the development has been mixed. Alistair Sutherland declared it "a positive contribution" to the waterfront, and "a complementary contrast" to its neighbours; others have been more critical. The Daily Post in particular lamented the loss of several key views of the Pier head World Heritage Site. In 2012, it was nominated alongside the ArcelorMittal Orbit and Belfast's Titanic museum for the Carbuncle Cup, an architecture prize given annually by the magazine Building Design to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months." In 2015 Mann Island scooped a RIBA North West award.
