Cunard Building, Liverpool

The Cunard Building, a Grade II* listed structure, is one of Liverpool’s iconic Three Graces at the historic Pier Head. Alongside the Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, it forms part of the city’s waterfront, once recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Maritime Mercantile City designation. Built between 1914 and 1917, the Cunard Building was designed by William Edward Willink and Philip Coldwell Thicknesse, combining influences from Italian Renaissance, Greek Revival, and Beaux-Arts architecture.

Inspired by Italian architectural luminaries such as Baldassare Peruzzi and the Farnese Palace, the building integrates classical elements like Greek details with the grandeur of American Beaux-Arts design. It features a rectangular form with nine bays on the shorter sides and seventeen on the longer sides, with main entrances highlighted by oak doors, fluted columns, and coffered ceilings. The exterior is clad in Portland stone, adorned with sculptures symbolizing Britannia, Neptune, the zodiac, and motifs of peace, war, and global races, reflecting the Cunard Line’s international scope.

Originally the headquarters of the Cunard Line until the 1960s, the building also housed facilities for trans-Atlantic passengers departing from Liverpool. Its construction on the site of the former George's Dock incorporated part of the original dock wall, visible in the basement. Today, it is owned by Liverpool City Council and hosts various public and private sector organizations, including The British Music Experience.

Inside, the ground floor features Italian and Greek marble, while the upper floors, with large windows and toplights, were designed for administrative use. Highlights include the first-class passenger lounge, an ornate boardroom, and a basement that once stored luggage and company property. Maritime remnants, like baggage racks and secure vaults, now preserve historical documents, including those of the RMS Queen Mary.

Standing diagonally across from Albion House, the former headquarters of the White Star Line, the Cunard Building is a testament to Liverpool’s maritime and architectural legacy, symbolizing the city’s role in global trade and trans-Atlantic travel.