In a week full of travel tours, social outings and team bonding activities, the Manchester studio popped over to Liverpool to see the mix of old and new architecture.

The day kicked off with a walk around the Cains Brewery site, a former brewery located within the Baltic Triangle – the artisan and creative hub of Liverpool – now repurposed as a second-hand store with absurd, exotic and antique items for sale. We could have spent hours rummaging for hidden treasures but had much to see in only a few hours.

After lunch, our team took a RIBA North tour of Liverpool, exploring the city's established international reputation as the pre-eminent gateway for shipping, trade and the movement of people leaving one continent to find new lives in another. It was an informative and fascinating (and thankfully dry) walking tour through the city, highlighting the rich tapestry of buildings, streets and public spaces. Many of these have changed use since they were originally built, helping to create the vibrant modern Liverpool that exists today. Unfortunately, there were also a great deal of notable buildings left empty and unused due to the difficulty of finding suitable uses for them – an emerging trend for many historic cities.

Finally, we made our way to some more modern buildings to escape the oncoming downpour, including a brief stop at the Philharmonic Hall (recently refurbished by Caruso St John Architects) and the Stirling Prize winning Everyman Theatre by Haworth Tompkins – a worthy recipient of the prestigious award.

Overall, a great time was had by all, topped with a few evening drinks and nibbles; a tiring yet enjoyable day!