Liverpool Plastics Innovation Factory

Since their invention in the 1950’s plastics have become ingrained in every level of our society and yet their treatment, reuse and end of life has been largely neglected. This has led to large quantities of the material ending up in landfill, polluting our landscapes and furthermore the oceans.

Whilst Liverpool University is carrying out a range of plastic related research across several departments, its recycling infrastructure is sorely lacking. Last year 1900 tonnes of waste were produced on campus and only 25% of this was recycled.

We proposed a facility for the University to create a circle economy of plastic waste on campus, turning waste into functional products whilst also creating dedicated research space within vacant dilapidated University buildings. Finally, we sought to create a new green pedestrian way through the University Campus linking the University into the built and social context of Liverpool.

The three key architectural elements of our project are as follows:

The Derby and Hartley Building is an existing Victorian building on the site which has been extended to bring it up to date with current accessibility and fire standards so it can return to its previous state of a teaching centre for plastic research.
The Liverpool Plastics Innovation Factory is the centre piece of the project and provides space for plastic waste to be sorted and processed on site adjacent to several adjustable workshop spaces that will allow for a large variety of projects to take place.
The Brownlow Hill Tower is a multi-use space allowing for a range of functions. The lower floors house a collection of large public spaces such as a public library and exhibition space which connects directly with the factory. The upper levels of the tower house a range of residential units allowing research students to live directly on site. A range of communal spaces and terraces on these levels allow for a sense of community that is often missing in this type of accommodation.

Though varied in program each of these buildings were linked through a singular architectural style informed by a modular panel system we designed. The system makes use of a range of recycled plastic products and reclaimed site materials at every level of its structure.