Both colour and texture are ultimately down to the final materials used on the exterior and interior. Colours can be used to attract people to something in particular. So if a lot of buildings in the one area are very similar then you have to do something else to attract people, this is where the texture comes in. Texture gives the final impression on a perspective of a building. Certain textures can make a building more or less inviting. For example smooth stone finishes feel a lot nicer than pebble dash finishes.
The Royal Liver Building is constructed from reinforced concrete, and finished with clad granite. It was finished with clad granite to hide the horrible appearance of the reinforced concrete. This material also helped the Royal Liver Building to fit in with its surroundings.
Clad granite is a very hard material, which is why it was chosen; being on Liverpool’s waterfront. Clad granite is quite flexible to fit more forms, however this also came with an architectural set back, due to the hardness of clad granite the material couldn’t be shaped into a finely detailed finish, so it was just shaped into large swirls, but this design is right at the top of the building, therefore it isn’t easily noticed from street level.
The exterior to the building is a yellowish sandstone colour in fitting with the Port of Liverpool building and the Cunard building, which are next to the Royal Liver building, and can be seen in the picture above.
The building has a very hard but smooth surface when you run your hand along it.
Royal Liver Building, Liverpool 