Editing Cunard Building (section)

==History==
In 1914 the [[Cunard Steamship Company]] commissioned the construction of new headquarters for their company. Cunard's expansion meant that they had outgrown their previous offices, which were also in [[Liverpool]],<ref name=building>{{cite web |title=The building |publisher=[[CB Richard Ellis]] |year=2008 |url=http://www.cunardbuilding.com/ext_cunard_building/the_building |access-date=5 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007154830/http://www.cunardbuilding.com/ext_cunard_building/the_building |archive-date=7 October 2011  }}</ref> and the site chosen for construction was at the former [[George's Dock]], in between the [[Royal Liver Building]] and [[Port of Liverpool Building]].<ref name=construction>{{cite web |title=Building History |publisher=[[CB Richard Ellis]] |year=2008 |url=http://www.cunardbuilding.com/portal/page/portal/ext_cunard_building/the_building/building_history |access-date=4 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007154810/http://www.cunardbuilding.com/portal/page/portal/ext_cunard_building/the_building/building_history |archive-date=7 October 2011  }}</ref> The building was designed by the architects William Edward Willink and Philip Coldwell Thicknesse and was inspired by the grand [[palace]]s of [[Italian Renaissance|Renaissance Italy]]<ref name=Chambre>{{cite web |title=The Cunard Building |publisher=[[E Chambre Hardman]] Archive |url=http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1323 |access-date=5 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102184352/http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1323 |archive-date=2 January 2009  }}</ref> – particularly the Farnese Palace at Rome.  It was constructed by [[Holland, Hannen & Cubitts]] between 1914 and 1917,<ref name="Cunard History at a Glance">{{cite web|title=Cunard History at a Glance |publisher=[[Cunard Line|Cunard]] |url=http://www.cunard.com/images/Content/History.pdf |access-date=15 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326230808/http://www.cunard.com/images/Content/History.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2009 }}</ref> with Arthur J. Davis, of Mewes and Davis, acting as consultant on the project.<ref name="Liverpool World Heritage">{{cite web|title=Cunard Building |publisher=Liverpool World Heritage |year=2008 |url=http://www.liverpoolworldheritage.com/visitingthewhs/areas/pierhead/cunardbuilding.asp |access-date=13 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828041858/http://www.liverpoolworldheritage.com/visitingthewhs/areas/pierhead/cunardbuilding.asp |archive-date=28 August 2008 }}</ref>

In 1934 the Cunard Steamship Company merged with the [[White Star Line]] to form Cunard White Star Line, becoming the largest passenger [[steamship]] company in the world and helping to make Liverpool one of the most important centres of the British [[Transatlantic crossing|trans-Atlantic]] [[ocean liner]] industry.<ref name=Chambre/> The Cunard building subsequently acted as the central headquarters for the newly merged firm, with both administrative and ship-designing facilities located within the building.<ref name=building/> Many famous ships were developed and designed at the Cunard Building, including the [[RMS Queen Mary|RMS ''Queen Mary'']], [[RMS Queen Elizabeth|RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'']] and the [[Queen Elizabeth 2]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cunard Building |publisher=Liverpool Architectural Society |url=http://www.liverpoolarchitecture.com/tours/buildings/building.php?id=19 |access-date=14 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106085246/http://www.liverpoolarchitecture.com/tours/buildings/building.php?id=19 |archive-date=6 November 2007  }}</ref>

Given that Liverpool was a major trans-Atlantic port, and due to the building's proximity to the [[River Mersey]], the lower floors of the Cunard Building were allocated to provide space for liner passengers, both before and after sailing.<ref name="Sharples (2004), p71">Sharples (2004), p71</ref> Within the building were passenger facilities, including separate waiting rooms for first, second and third class passengers, a booking hall, luggage storage space, and a currency exchange.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sailing on Saturday |publisher=[[National Museums Liverpool]] |url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/newyork/day1.asp |access-date=17 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720072341/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/newyork/day1.asp |archive-date=20 July 2008  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2005/07/20/coast05walks_stage4.shtml|title=Coast Walk Stage 4: Cunard Building|publisher=BBC Liverpool|date=21 July 2005 |access-date=1 February 2008 }}</ref> The building also provided facilities for both land and sea-based Cunard employees.<ref name=building/>

During the [[World War II|Second World War]], the sub-basement level of the Cunard Building was used as an [[air raid shelter]] for workers in the building and also for those from adjacent premises. The basement levels also served as the central [[Air Raid Precautions]] headquarters for the City of Liverpool during the war. Additional reinforced steel joists were fitted to further strengthen the basement in case of a direct hit on the building.<ref name=construction/>

The building remained the headquarters of Cunard until the 1960s, when they decided to relocate their UK operations to [[Southampton]] on England's south coast and their global headquarters to [[New York City|New York]].<ref name="Cunard History at a Glance" /> Cunard subsequently sold the building to [[Prudential plc]] in 1969. In 1965 the Cunard Building was awarded [[Grade II*]] [[listed building]] status by the [[English Heritage]]. Initially, it was listed together with the Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building under Pier Head, but in 1985 each building gained its own listing.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1052283 |access-date=6 July 2009}}</ref> In November 2001 the building was sold to the Merseyside Pension Fund, an organisation providing pension services to public sector workers on Merseyside. Today, the building provides a range of office accommodation for a variety of public and private sector organisations. In November 2008 it was announced that the building managers had appointed the local architects firm Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams to draw up a conservation plan to preserve the building.<ref>{{cite web |last=McDonough |first=Tony |title=Rosy outlook for iconic Cunard Building |publisher=LDP Business |date=5 November 2008 |url=http://www.ldpbusiness.co.uk/liverpool-news/liverpool-business-news/2008/11/05/rosy-outlook-for-iconic-cunard-building-96026-22185826/ |access-date=11 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201161007/http://www.ldpbusiness.co.uk/liverpool-news/liverpool-business-news/2008/11/05/rosy-outlook-for-iconic-cunard-building-96026-22185826/ |archive-date=1 December 2008  }}</ref> The plan involved collaboration with English Heritage and the Local Authority Conservation Officer and would be used to control any modification and repairs made to the building.<ref>{{cite web |title=Architects planning ahead for landmark glory |publisher=Liverpool CDP |url=http://www.liverpoolcdp.com/news/shownews.asp?recordid=516 |access-date=9 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007171604/http://www.liverpoolcdp.com/news/shownews.asp?recordid=516 |archive-date=7 October 2011  }}</ref>

In October 2013, Liverpool City Council approved the acquisition of the Cunard Building for use as offices and as a [[Liverpool Cruise Terminal|cruise liner terminal]]. The Council projected that the building would accommodate 1,000 staff relocated from Millennium House and leases in the Capital Building, saving an estimated £1.3 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cunard Building purchase plan agreed by Liverpool Council|publisher=BBC|date=11 October 2013|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-24496523 |access-date=6 November 2013}}</ref> The anticipated use as cruise terminal however had to be abandoned due to the high costs associated with security and border control.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anderson|first1=Joe|title=Mayor's statement regarding the Cunard Building|url=http://www.liverpoolexpress.co.uk/mayors-statement-regarding-cunard-building/|website=Liverpool Express|date=14 October 2014|publisher=Liverpool City Council|access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref>