St. George's Hall, Liverpool

Described by the architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as the greatest neoclassical building in the world, St. George’s Hall in Liverpool, England, had been a source of civic pride since its construction in the mid-nineteenth century, housing the city’s law courts, along with a town hall and concert room. Yet, by the close of the twentieth century, it had fallen into decay, a process that accelerated following a moving of the law courts to an alternative venue in 1984. Upon receiving WMF’s Hadrian Award in 1990, HRH Prince of Wales drew attention to the plight of the building in his acceptance speech, in which he outlined an ambitious plan for the complete overhaul of the hall, which would cost an estimated £23 million. In doing so, the prince hoped to enlist WMF’s support for the project.