Duggan Morris' 'Vase' is victorious

Blossoming practice Duggan Morris Architects has won the competition to design the new Mersey Observatory in Crosby, near Liverpool, with a scheme which has already been dubbed 'The Vase'.

The practice's victory means shortlisted finalist C J Lim of Studio 8 Architects will have to wait a bit longer to have his first project in the UK built.

Among the other runners-up in the contest to revamp the long-abandoned Crosby Radar Tower, close to Liverpool Docks at Seaforth, include Phos Architects, Farrell and Clark, and Ellis Williams Architects.

Duggan Morris was the outright winner of a public poll on the shortlisted designs, receiving almost half of the 10,000 votes cast.

It is hoped the scheme, which will have views of both Antony Gormley's iron figures on Crosby beach and of the Liverpool skyline, will attract 250,000 visitors a year.