The Reinforced Concrete Building the Public Couldn't Enter for 108 Years

Why did anyone think this building was impossible? Well, because it was a radical departure from the norm. Designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas, it was an early example of a structure built using reinforced concrete. The owners wanted a purpose-built home for Royal Liver Assurance that would stand out on the Pier Head, but the design was so daring that some thought it would be impossible to build.

Construction began in 1908, and the building officially opened in 1911. It joined its neighbours to form the Three Graces along the Mersey. It has ten storeys, including two in the roof. The building is crowned by a pair of clock towers. The clocks are actually larger in diameter than those at the Great Westminster Clock - a pretty bold claim for a building that was once considered a structural impossibility.

Speaking of the clocks, they are called George clocks because they started ticking at the precise moment King George V was crowned. They have no numerals, only facets for the hours. A single mechanism drives all four faces.

Today, you can actually tour the West Clock Tower. It was closed off for 108 years before the public gained access in 2019. The building has changed hands a few times recently - from a private office for a football owner to a new home for the Princes Group. It even played the role of a gritty police headquarters in a recent Batman film. I suppose even icons need a career change now and then.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons