A Tapestry of Urban Living
Milliners Yard is a purpose-built residential development designed for the build-to-rent (BTR) market by developer Columbia Threadneedle. Comprising 258 modern apartments, the scheme, on London Road in Liverpool, sits at the heart of the city’s historic Fabric District. The area, once a bustling centre for millinery and textile warehouses, is now undergoing major regeneration, with the ambition to transform it into a vibrant new cultural quarter. Milliners Yard will play a key role in the revival of this iconic district, bridging its rich industrial heritage with contemporary living.
Sector | Build to Rent
Completion | 2025
Client | Columbia Threadneedle | Home Group | UK Land & Property
Operator | Allsop
“This BTR scheme gives us strong market advantage, delivering a product that stands out as a unique offering. Jasper Sanders + Partners brought an unwavering commitment to excellence, helping us attract and retain our target demographic – directly contributing to the building’s early success and long-term appeal.”
Matt Smith | CEO, Allsop
Sustainability
Mosa’s Global Collection tiles were specified throughout the residents’ lounge, with a focus on sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. The range is Cradle to Cradle Certified®, supporting environmental responsibility while offering high-quality, durable finishes.
Mindful procurement of all loose furniture items was carried out, with pieces specified from either mainland Europe or the UK. The residents’ lounge features Mater Café Tables made of Matek® – a recycled fibre-based material combined with recycled plastic waste.
Procurement of high-quality, low-energy light fittings supported the project’s sustainability goals, ensuring energy efficiency without compromising on design or performance.
JS+P was responsible for designing Milliner’s Yard’s premium ground-floor residents’ lounge, alongside all public and linking spaces, including the fitness suite, communal areas, and apartment circulation corridors. With the procurement and fit-out of the one-and two-bedroom apartments led by operator Allsop, Jasper Sanders + Partners focused on designing a cohesive and holistic experience through the building. The studio’s sensitive approach to key circulation routes has ensured a seamless and intuitive journey for residents.
From the project’s inception, Creative Director Rebecca Finney drew on personal memories of the area, which then informed both the interior language and key details within the scheme.
“As a child growing up in the North West, I often visited Liverpool with my Nan, exploring the many department-stores the city had to offer. I vividly remember the bold red signage of TJ Hughes and the distinctive egg-crate ceilings – true hallmarks of nineties retail design. That ceiling detail has been reinterpreted throughout the amenity as a subtle nod to gridded textile systems, and in doing so, we’ve embedded a quiet reference to the adjacent building interiors, creating a tactile link between memory, place, and design.”
The ground-floor amenity has been designed to elevate the residential living experience and offers a distinctive identity, tailored to a modern lifestyle in the heart of this iconic city. Milliners Yard is modest in scale at 3,220 sq ft, yet the amenity area offers a high degree of activation and includes an entrance arrival and concierge area, quiet pod, coffee bar and a variety of settings catering to a broad range of functions from breakfast to evening cocktails. According to studio Founder, Jasper Sanders, the design aimed to accommodate a variety of everyday activities such as ‘waiting, working, lounging and perching’, creating a versatile amenity that reflects the rhythm of modern urban life.
“We are delighted with the outcome of Milliners Yard”, said Jasper Sanders, Founder and Director of Jasper Sanders + Partners. “The scheme is a vibrant and distinctive addition to Liverpool’s residential landscape, with its success a testament to the strength of our collaboration with Society Studios and our ongoing partnership with Allsop, both instrumental in helping shape a cohesive and impactful interior that reflects the identity and ambition of this development in an iconic district of Liverpool.”
The palette adopts a refined, monochromatic aesthetic, centred around a desaturated dark red hue, a deliberate nod to the adjacent TJ Hughes department store and the wider architectural language of the Fabric District. Warm, rich tones are used throughout the interior to reflect the area’s materiality. This design approach not only roots the development firmly within its urban context but also establishes a seamless visual and thematic connection to the surrounding façades, many of which are clearly framed and celebrated through views from the residents’ lounge.
In collaboration with branding agency Society Studios, JS+P developed the conceptual framework for the graphic language throughout the building. Extending across wayfinding, signage, environmental graphics, and branded moments of punctuation, this visual identity incorporates linear lines as central motifs, evoking the notion of weaving. These elements reinforce a sense of flow and continuity within the interiors, creating an intuitive and connected experience which is enriched with visual appeal and complements the interior palette.
