John McAslan + Partners, working in collaboration with heritage organisations SAVE Britain’s Heritage and The Twentieth Century Society, has today revealed a fresh and compelling new concept for the enhancement of Liverpool Street Station in London.
The proposal demonstrates that the station’s long-awaited capacity, accessibility and passenger-experience improvements can be achieved without the extensive demolition and 20-storey towers set out in the current scheme. Instead, the JMP design takes a sensitive, technically robust and low-carbon approach, drawing inspiration from both classic railway architecture and the sophisticated geometry of the 1990 SOM building in Exchange Square.
At the heart of the proposal is a low-profile vaulted structure positioned over the northern end of the platforms. Engineered with Expedition, the concept suspends nine floors of cross-laminated timber workspace from a lightweight steel frame, eliminating the need for internal columns and ensuring the historic platform roofs remain untouched. Wrapped in a high-quality sustainable façade, the design provides significant new public benefits, including:
- Step-free access throughout the station
- New escalators, lifts and circulation routes
- Improved passenger facilities and waiting areas
- A new cycle hub
- Removal of the existing retail mezzanine and decluttering of the concourse
- A publicly accessible garden and walkway offering restored views down the trainshed
The scheme has been strongly welcomed by Sir Tim Smit and other leading figures in sustainability and heritage, who see it as a breakthrough in a debate previously dominated by demolition and large-scale commercial development. By contrast, the JMP scheme is viable, deliverable, and aligned with the innovative spirit being celebrated in the 200th anniversary year of the railways.
Given the significant public and environmental benefits of this approach – and in light of assessments that deem the current scheme “not technically viable” – we join our partners in calling for Network Rail to pause the existing planning process to allow this alternative proposal to be properly considered.
Architects: John McAslan + Partners
Engineers: Expedition Engineering
Images: John McAslan + Partners
The Twentieth Century Society
SAVE Britain’s Heritage
The Victorian Society
Targeting Zero
For the full The Times article, click here
For the full AJ article, click here
