Works are now underway on the next phase of refurbishment at the Leverhulme Building – a project that carries both architectural and personal significance for our team.

We’ve been appointed as architects for the refurbishment of this much-loved building at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture. And for many of us on the Austin-Smith:Lord team, this isn’t just another project.

It’s where some of us took our first steps in architecture. For a number of our team, this entrance is deeply familiar.

It’s where we first walked in as students. Where graduation photos were taken. Where nerves built before RIBA interviews – sat on that same bench.

To now be part of shaping its next chapter is a rare privilege.

A return to original intent

This phase of works focuses on the careful removal of a later staircase addition to the side entrance. The existing lobby and staircase are being dismantled to make way for the reinstatement of the building’s original 1930s entrance.

By restoring the original doors, windows and elevation, the aim is to bring clarity back to the building’s architectural intent, undoing layers of alteration and allowing the design to speak more honestly again.

This is about more than aesthetics. It’s about respecting the integrity of the building, and revealing the original thinking behind it.

Great buildings are never static.

They evolve, adapt, and – when handled with care – can reconnect us with both their past and their future.