MIPIM | Second Kings tower to reach 70 storeys
Hot on the heels of planning permission for a 28-storey block at the Liverpool cluster being advanced by Davos and Beetham, the SimpsonHaugh-designed centrepiece of the scheme has been unveiled.
Davos Property Developments and Beetham Davos have chosen MIPIM as the platform from which to launch the flagship development within the potentially-£1bn tower cluster – a scheme rebranded as Kings earlier this month.
The tower, designed by SimpsonHaugh, will include a five-star hotel and luxury residences managed by the hotel operator.
Hugh Frost, chairman of Beetham Davos, said: “This will be the scheme’s signature building and is the ultimate expression of our confidence in Liverpool and the council’s backing for our ambition.”
The tower offers the first glimpse of the emerging masterplan for the eight-acre site, to the north of the city’s Pier Head. Talks are well underway with a global hotel brand to take the whole of the building, Frost said, stating: “They share our view of Liverpool as outward-looking and international and therefore a good fit for their brand.”
This is one of 10 buildings anticipated in the emerging masterplan for the site, which will go out to public consultation later this spring, before an expected planning submission in late summer. There is a ‘Living’ zone to the north, the ‘Leisure’ zone in the centre, and ‘Work’ to the south.
Frost said: “Kings is a new neighbourhood for the UK’s most recognisable waterfront, and it will reflect the confidence and outward-looking nature of our city. It will be for everyone to enjoy, and this hotel will allow visitors to be at its very heart,” said Frost.
The hybrid application will seek detailed consent for layout, site services and outline consent for each building plot and will include residential towers, two hotels, offices, an arts venue, shared workspace for start-ups and tech businesses and a range of food and beverage outlets.
The masterplan as it stands speaks of 150,000 of offices, 160,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and F&B, and 400 hotel keys. In an investment brochure produced ahead of MIPIM, the joint venture partners speak of how subsequent phases will be delivered through strategic investment partnerships. “allowing institutional capital to participate”.
A phase two hybrid application will go in this summer. Credit: Infinite 3D
Set out in this brochure are four specific targets for the JV: to bring in a build-to-rent forward-funding partner, to bring in a branded residences partner, to bring in a hotel operator, and to attract either a major occupier or institutional investor to forward-fund the office element.
Brock Carmichael is the masterplan architect for Kings, with Pegasus Group providing planning, economics, heritage and EIA services and Planit leading on public realm design.
As seen in other towers, such as that developed by Beetham and initially operated by Hilton off Manchester’s Deansgate, the hotel would occupy the first 23 floors of the building, offering 212 guest rooms. The balance would be taken up by 563 residences.
Guest and resident amenities would include bars, restaurants, gymnasiums, banqueting and meeting facilities and a rooftop terrace. In all, the building would provide 924,000 sq ft of space, potentially making it the second largest building by floorspace in Liverpool, after its famous Tobacco Warehouse.
Ian Simpson, founding partner of SimpsonHaugh, said: “This is a landmark intervention for Britain’s most dramatic waterfront skyline. It is rooted in the city’s architectural vernacular and its maritime history but offers a very contemporary expression of both.”
Simpson added: “The tower’s setting optimises the high-quality public realm around it, whilst the soft corners maximise the panoramic views in every direction. I wanted to deliver a building that not only sat well with its neighbours, but also reflects the ambition of the city.”
Now given planning consent, the No. 1 Kings tower must now undergo the Gateway 2 approval process required of tall buildings. A construction start in Q2 2027 is the aim.
“Only last week it was confirmed that there will be 135 cruise ships visiting Liverpool during the 2026 season. This number will grow as the new cruise terminal is completed and the landing stage extended to accommodate two ships at a time,” said Frost.
“Demand for the hotel will be driven in part by cruise passengers seeking to start or finish their journeys in the same style and luxury offered on board.”
Ten buildings are in the masterplan. Credit: via Merrion
Very interesting and the hotel linked to the new cruise terminal for departing and arriving guests is another important piece of the plan.
By Liverpool4Progess
You wish them well in their ambition
By Anonymous
Imagery credit is to Infinite 3D
By I3D
Wow, Liverpool getting it’s mojo back, so many people in this city have been looking forward to this for years. The thousands who left the city in search of work and betterment, there is hope that they’ll return and help the city prosper.
By Anonymous
As someone from Manchester, I think these look more interesting than ours! Still not “amazing” per se, but I like the look of them. That public realm looks great too.
By Anonymous
Fingers crossed the whole development can be seen through to completion. You can’t fault the ambition.
By Leo
Than the dull stuff done in Manchester. I approve. Now do some better stuff in Manc!
By Better
I love tall skyscrapers but I feel this is too much for a design like this
By Giant skyscraper fan
I like how they added extra floors but the towers in the background with the crowns are a bit too much
By Giant skyscraper fan
It looks incredible and I’m really pleased with the buildings and the street interaction which far exceeds what I was expecting. Get behind this project Liverpool, it’s a game changer for the area and beyond.
By Anonymous
Looks Incredible. Get it built.
By L17
Absolutely brilliant, hats off to all the designers. The scale and massing are perfect for such a key site of national and international importance,
By LFC (Liverpool For Construction)
Now that’s ambition! Bravo!
The pearl-clutchers and bungalow brigade will have a conniption, mind, but who cares? Get. It. Built.
By More Anonymous than the others
Phenomenal
By Anonymous
Good luck looks fantastic
By Anonymous
What a view from the cruise ships on the river and from the tower itself. Great site for a tall.
By Anonymous
Liverpool will soon be accused of being too ambitious
You love to see it
By Trevor
Hopefully this means that the awful tall buildings policy has quietly been shelved. This area had a limit of 50 storeys.
By Gary
Whatever the city council, combined authority, homes england, or the government needs to do to turn this into reality – do it, and do it now!
By Anonymous
Looks awesome
By Anonymous
Yes. That’s more like it. Far overdue, time to get this great city properly back on the map.
By Optional
If this all commences and completes , and Liverpool Waters starts construction in 2028 then we are really going to need some radical transport improvements. Liverpool Waters have said they will start building at the city end, ie near Waterloo Dock, so Mayor Steve you really do need to be prioritising, planning, and implementing a new Merseyrail station in Vauxhall, and you should be doing that now.
By Anonymous
This feels so insulting to Manchester, don’t get me wrong I’d love if this happens for Liverpool but after seeing Simpson’s designs in Manchester I’ve been scratching my head looking at this. Look at Stocktons tower, it doesn’t just look bad, it looks like it has purposely been badly designed, it looks ugly, dated, cheap and it doesn’t have nice proportions. One Port Street… amazing neighbourhood but the saddest looking block, really overwhelming for this area, zero design flair. Deansgate Square and River Gardens… six towers with the same checkerboard facade, yes SIX. Contour is probably the only development that has at least some design to it. Now Manchester is getting some quality developments like St Michael’s, Simpson needs to retire or get their stuff together!
By Mike
This is awsome looks like the architecture they use in Australian cities
By Anonymous
I approve….
By Manc Man
I will believe it when I see it!
By Doubting Thomas
Simply stunning! Way back the first thing anyone saw of the city when they sailed into the River Mersey was St Nicks church on the skyline and then it was the Royal Liver buildings and now hopefully….everything crossed it will be the Davos/Beetham development. Wow, what a statement piece and what a way to say that hopefully our fine city has turned the corner and is at last moving forwards. Every cruise that stops in the river will be a sell out as people queue just to have the experience of arriving in our fine river and seeing the new and totally amazing skyline. Lets get the diggers on site…….tomorrow and lets see it built. Keep up the good work Davos/Beetham and everyone else involved. So far so good/ very good!!!
By Brendan R
Looks dreadful, bland and uninspiring. Who will live in them? or will they sit empty owned by foreign investors.
By Liverpolitan
It’s not a hideous building but if your development has the words ‘SimpsonHaugh’ and ‘centerpiece’ in the same sentence, you’re not trying hard enough.
By Anthony
Omg this is just… WOW!🤩
By Anonymous
fantastic news
By tony
This level of ambition and investment in the city is long overdue. Hopefully this is the catalyst for Liverpool waters, Pall Mall, Leeds Street etc.
By Anonymous
Credit to Beetham Davos for including the burying of the highway network next to the site. That won’t come cheap but they have done the right thing to make it a fantastic development without expecting the public purse to pay for it.
By Andrew P
Well its finally happening now.
By Anonymous
Need to really push the office zone given the dearth of Grade A facilities in Liverpool. Got to expand trade and commerce space, not just residential
By Anonymous
If this gets done while any of us still have teeth I shall raise a loud ‘hurrah’ even if it is the usual Manc suspects building it. There have been more false dawns in Liverpool than any bar in Pattaya . Let’s hope someone throws a spade in the ground before the Green party ban concrete.
By Big Sue
Incredible!! At last, two hometown men with money, connections and credibility are developing something amazing in our city. Hats off to them, the council needs to back this all the way.
By Liverpolitan
Well done Liverpool, now get the LMR built.
By Elephant
Yay..Manchester to the rescue! Those SimpsonHaugh towers don’t look too bad after all ! Now..less cgi and more actual building.
By Anonymous
@ Liverpolitan, have you ever thought of doing PR work for the City?
By Anonymous
This is what we lose our UNESCO heritage for? Just another generic mid west US city look. I thought we were special, beautiful, different. Second rate stuff..I’d rather have offices and jobs than the promise of a couple of phallic cheaply clad tower blocks. Whatever happened to architecture 😮💨
By Anonymous
I’m loving the enthusiasm, but let’s face it, none of this is gonna happen.
By ALL
Manchester isn’t requeuing Liverpool its a Liverpool based billionaire that is paying for this and it is happening as the funds are there for this. Don’t forget it was Liverpool that built Manchester town hall and Manchester’s town hall not to mention Andy Burnham from Liverpool.
By Anonymous
Looks incredible even better than London tall builds
By Anonymous
‘Hello?? …Des Moines’s here…we’d like our skyline back..’
By Anonymous
Could someone please explain Simpson comments that the scheme “is rooted in the city’s architectural vernacular and its maritime history but offers a very contemporary expression of both” How exactly?
Or is this just the usual architectural guff worth of Pseuds Corner?
By Miss Ann Thrope
Great ambition and civil pride shown here.
The mixture of heights and styles combined with the individual colours will enhance this part of the waterfront.
When the Central Docks are completed and the surrounding Pumpfields too adding to a real rejuvenation of an area crying out for development.
Well done Mr Morris and Frost.
By Liverpolitis
While I’m glad some of the Manchester companies are helping can we not get one of the other developers rather than usual tower builders. There’s plenty to choose from. Whilst I admire the ambition,as has been pointed out..who on earth is going to buy and live in them? Liverpool is not London never mind Manchester..these, if the ever get built are going to be expensive rents .
By Anonymous
Looks Great! Although I think the tallest tower is probably my least favourite. Hats off to whoever designed the rest of the scheme!
By Clive
Love how it connects Old Hall Street with Princes Dock, it will really pull the area together and act as a catalyst for the area and Liverpool as a whole.
Lets hope everyone involved pulls out all the stops, with no watering down of their ambition (and height), so as I always say – Get It Built!
By GetItBuilt!
@5:14 pm Liverpool’s population is growing people from all over the country live and work here, it is happening
By Anonymous
Probably worth mentioning that the rest of the towers have been designed by local firm Brock Carmichael.
By Dave
Heard it all so many times before. It won’t happen.
By Anonymous
Manchester is like a council house that has had a conservatory built they way they act
By Anonymous
Could they not build a tower that looks like a guitar that shouts of the amazing musical heritage that Liverpool has have the neck of the guitar as walkway possibly as the passenger gangway onto the cruise ships or linking it to a building that looks like a set of Drums but huge so it makes a statement and as ships sail up the Mersey they see the livebuildings and these two musical instruments inspired buildings .
By Anonymous
Coming soon to Liverpool, same recycled glass towers. Becareful, they’ll spawn and multiply and before you know it they’ll be 15 towers and it’ll be impossible to walk by on a windy day
By Anonymous
It’s a pity they are so ugly though.,Liverpool used to be known for its architecture. UNESCO left and what has happened..ok not much but towers definitely not the answer. Jobs that what the city needs.
By Anonymous