Number 1 Prescot Street And Attached Wall And Railings

Office block, built in 1932 by L G Ekins for the Co-operative Wholesale Society, and constructed by the CWS Building Department. The building is a steel frame structure clad in dark brown brick, with raked horizontal joints. It has a semi-basement and entrances faced with concrete textured to resemble feldspar or granite, channeled to give the appearance of stone. The roof is a green pantiled mansard roof with two rows of dormers.

The building is rectangular and occupies a corner site, rising five storeys, with two attics and a semi-basement. The main facade has thirteen bays, with a later addition of seven slightly projecting bays to the right. A segmental arched arcading rises from the ground floor through the fourth floor, featuring splayed brick reveals set at angles to create a "dog tooth" pattern; the arch heads are also treated in this way. Bronzed and green-painted metal framed windows are arranged in three lights, with green metal spandrel panels featuring corrugated and bead designs. The main entrance is centrally located, with a rectangular surround that extends from the basement’s textured cement. It has recessed angular mouldings and a bronzed iron geometric pattern screen. Above, a bas-relief rectangular plaque depicts a nude male and female, and the cornice has a corrugated design. Steps lead to the entrance, flanked by cement balustrades with bronzed iron railings of a geometric pattern, incorporating bronzed octagonal lanterns.

The fifth floor is constructed of lighter-coloured brick with a blue band, and features continuous three-light, square-headed recessed windows with brick mullions, separated by elongated enriched brick ornamentations. A blue and red brick corrugated parapet tops the building. The pantiled roof has antefixae. Continuous rows of cream-painted three-light dormers have corrugated lintels and separating panels; alternate panels feature angular cream rainwater heads and green painted pipes used as decorative elements. The left-hand angle is canted, with a plainer entrance. Brickwork at the angles forms an openwork pattern, while a three-story angular oriel window displays green-painted metal zig-zag patterned spandrel panels. The returns to the facade are similar to the main facade.

Attached to the building is a concrete wall with piers and bronzed iron railings of a geometric pattern.

The building represents an unusual example in Britain of the German Expressionist style; L.G. Ekins dedicated his career to designing shops and warehouses for the CWS throughout Britain.