Royal Liver Building: Why is it called a 'Gothic' building?

[fortinian]

This week has seen the celebration of the centenary of the Royal Liver Building. Quite rightly, there has been a huge amount of media coverage. However, one thing struck me, in nearly all these articles the Liver Building is described as a 'gothic-style' building.

Now I don't consider myself to be uneducated in architecture but contrary I am by no means an expert I always thought Gothic was many big windows, long columns, flying butresses, delicate tracery and lots and lots of points and spikes.

I can't see any of these features on the Liver Building. Its clearly not a gothic building. So what is it?

Neo-Baroque? Art Deco? What do you think?

[az_gila]

Sounds like they all copied a single article...:)

Reading the wiki description, the Liver Building would be hard to put in the Gothic category.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture

The only real corresponding feature would be "majesty" as I see it....:PDT_Aliboronz_24:

I'd like to hear a description from a professional architctural history expert.

[chasevans]

Good point. I think that "gothic -style" is conjured up by the sight the Liver Birds guarding the city. Visitors to the city are the best to ask, we scousers are maybe too close to see it.
Cheers,
Chas:PDT11

[fortinian]

Nikolaus Pevsner (the) leading scholar of British architecture says thus:

"The structure is of reinforced concrete faced with granite cladding. The style is impossible to label."

He uses the terms 'Byzantine' and 'Baroque' but not 'Gothic'.

[chasevans]

How about " Goth-Barogue"

Cheers,
Chas
:unibrow:

[ChrisGeorge]

Both Byzantine and Baroque are derived from Classical architecture. . . basically a heavier and more ponderous style than Classical. Blenheim Palace is an example of Baroque architecture. I would see no reason to classify the Royal Liver Building as Gothic since it possesses none of the attributes that are typical of Gothic, as seen for example in the city's Anglican Cathedral.

Chris

[Ronijayne]

I cannot see anything Gothic about it. Wonderful Building though. Not Deco for sure.

---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:48 PM ----------

I cannot see anything Gothic about it. Wonderful Building though. Not Deco for sure.

This article refers to it as a skyscraper!!!
http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1322

[az_gila]

.
This article refers to it as a skyscraper!!!
http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1322

It was by English standards...:)

Opened in 1911, the building is the purpose-built home of the Royal Liver Assurance (http://www.yoliverpool.com/wiki/Royal_Liver_Assurance) group, which had been set up in the city in 1850 to provide locals with assistance related to losing a wage-earning relative. One of the first buildings in the world to be built using reinforced concrete (http://www.yoliverpool.com/wiki/Reinforced_concrete), the Royal Liver Building stands at 90 m (300 ft) tall and was the tallest building in both Liverpool (http://www.yoliverpool.com/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_and_structures_in_Liverp ool) and the United Kingdom (http://www.yoliverpool.com/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_United_Kingdom) for over half a century.

[Ronijayne]

Sad story in th article about the clock guy! very mean of them to send him back to Germany. His wife was English and I believe he had English children.

[Prefrab]

From what I have read Gothic as a description was introduced to describe something that was either Ugly or a mixture of varied previous styles, I always thought it described something done in Medievel Cathedral style (Shows what I know).
I would describe The Liver Building as "Early 20th century American modern"
:slywink:

[goldenface]

Probably a good description. There hardly any structures that are similar to it in style although it has influenced a few. I think the 'gothic' is applied sometimes simply because of it likeness to something out of batman movie.

[Ged]

Let's revel in the fact that it was so groundbreaking that it doesn't have an already invented architectural style. Bartels Roni was the bird guy, not the clock guy but yes it was a shame but this year he has at last been officially recognised.

[az_gila]

From what I have read Gothic as a description was introduced to describe something that was either Ugly or a mixture of varied previous styles, I always thought it described something done in Medievel Cathedral style (Shows what I know).
I would describe The Liver Building as "Early 20th century American modern"
:slywink:

Your cathedral style guess is correct, with the Liverpool Anglican cathedral being a quoted example of Gothic architecture.

As to "Early 20 th Century American Modern" it might be said that the Liver building was first and inspired the US trend.

Wiki gives the Liver Building credit for inspiring the Manhattan Municipal Building in Manhattan - built 2 years later and almost twice the height.

It's just short a couple of birds...:)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Manhattan_Municipal_Building_by_David_Shankbone_ed ited-1_crop.jpg/346px-Manhattan_Municipal_Building_by_David_Shankbone_ed ited-1_crop.jpg

[Ged]

And Peter Ellis' Oriel Chambers inspirational in the building of Chicago's skyscrapers. We have much to be proud of.