Warehouse, 68 Waterloo Road, Liverpool
At the corner of Waterloo Road and Vulcan Street.
This warehouse, now the home of Vulcan Studios, is an early example of a 'fireproof' warehouse, using the minimum amount of wood in its construction.
From the Historic England Grade II listing[1]:-
'It is an important survival of one of the earliest fireproof warehouses associated with the international port city of Liverpool and constructed c.1842-4. It is an imposing and highly prominent building situated at the heart of the north docks complex next to the original C19 dock road, Clarence and Victoria Docks (now filled in), and Waterloo and Trafalgar Docks. It is well-preserved and retains the majority of original features including brick-vaulted ceilings, tile floors, sheet-iron loading doors, internal doors and shutters, cast-iron supporting columns and beams, lintels and sills, and the original enclosed fireproof stair. It possesses a wrought-iron roof structure similar to that of Jesse Hartley's Albert Dock warehouses (1841-5) and is unusual in incorporating roof slates that rest directly upon iron batons without fixings. Its innovative fireproof construction not only reflects the wealth of the warehouse's builder/owner and the importance of the goods contained within, but also technological advances in warehouse construction during the C19 and the changing face of the port of Liverpool.'