The favoured design for Liverpool's Fourth Grace is "the Cloud" by architect Will Alsop.

Liverpool Vision, the city centre regeneration company, announced its recommendation at 1630 GMT on Friday.

Four designs were proposed for the waterfront feature at Pier Head.

Mr Alsop's design will now have to go through the full planning process before any building goes ahead.

My building captures the spirit of those original three

Will Alsop

It will also have to be approved by joint landowners, the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside and the North West Development Agency.

The "grace" has to complement the three existing ones - the Liver, the Cunard and the Port of Liverpool buildings.

The centrepiece of the Alsop design is a round three-tier structure called the Cloud.

It is made up of office space, a 107-room hotel and 50,000 sq ft of community facilities, including a bar, restaurant and viewing gallery.

Pier planned

The building will be decorated with hieroglyphics depicting Liverpool's 800-year history. Other features include a pier to the ferry terminal.

Mr Alsop said he did not expect everyone to immediately like the building, but said the Liver Building was also controversial at the time.

He added: "All three of those buildings have served Liverpool well, but they have been serving it for a very long time.

"My building captures the spirit of those original three and in that sense it sits very well alongside them."

The other schemes, which included offices, apartments and retail facilities, were designed by Lord Richard Rogers, Sir Norman Foster and Edward Cullinan.