Education
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
An environment to support the way creatives learn and work
3 Floors
Spring 2026
28,000 Sq Ft
The Challenge
LIPA needed to expand and modernise One Hope Place to create a hub for performance, production and digital innovation. Integrating professional-standard facilities within a historic building while working to a tight programme.
The Solution
We are delivering a fast-track, turnkey design and refurbishment, including the full design and fit-out of specialist performance and digital creative spaces. Careful coordination is ensuring the programme remains on track while respecting the building’s heritage.
The Result
The project is progressing well and is scheduled for handover in May 2026.
Designed around the needs of students and industry partners, the redevelopment of One Hope Place breathes new life into a historic building. Delivering professional-grade facilities within an environment that supports collaboration, learning and hands-on creative exploration.
A Legacy Reimagined
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts opened in 1996 on the historic site of the Liverpool Institute for Boys. When Sir Paul McCartney revisited his old school and saw its disrepair, he pledged to help transform it into a university-level performing arts institution.
In September 2025, LIPA secured £2.5 million in capital funding from the Office for Students (OfS) to develop a new hub for performance, production and digital innovation. To deliver this project on a tight programme and to professional standards, LIPA engaged Maris Interiors to manage the full design and refurbishment of One Hope Place.
A Hub for Creativity and Innovation
Phase 2 of the redevelopment introduces a range of specialist facilities for students and practitioners, creating a cohesive, industry-aligned environment shaped around real-world creative practice, including:
- Digital Creative Technologies Lab: A flexible studio equipped with VR/AR, interactive media workstations and prototyping tools for hands-on exploration of emerging technologies.
- Enhanced Performance Facilities: Adaptable performance spaces with integrated lighting, projection, motion capture and visualisation, supporting traditional and digital production.
- Music Production Suites and Digital Resources: Contemporary studios and workstations designed for recording, editing and live performance.
Bringing History into the Future
The refurbishment carefully balances heritage with modern performance requirements, retaining the character of the building while introducing a contemporary, highly functional interior. Materials, lighting and spatial planning link studios, labs and performance areas into a unified whole, supporting a natural flow between disciplines. With completion scheduled for spring 2026, the project will establish One Hope Place as a dynamic centre for creative education in Liverpool.