BDP submit latest Buchanan Street plans
January 11 2011
Land Securities plan to construct 10,500sq/m on land bounded by Buchanan Street and West Nile Street, opening up through access with a new arcade.
Boasting 200ft of frontage onto Buchanan Street itself the scheme is likely to have a total development cost, including land and finance, of approximately £75m.
The scheme has been reduced in size from ADF’s prior design for Atlas Investments, rising to a maximum of five stories at a feature “fin” at the Bath Street intersection, resulting in a diminutive scale next to adjacent Victorian properties and the Buchanan Galleries opposite, also owned by Land Securities.
A rooftop garden will be built for the use of residents of the 49 flats located on upper levels although no parking will be offered owing to the excellent public transportation options.
Unfortunately an existing subway entrance, which acts as an impediment to pedestrian flow, will remain as the developers have ruled that it would not be “economically viable” to incorporate a new entrance.
The scheme will be faced in natural stone with elements of render rainscreen and reconstituted stone also featuring.
Land Securities purchased the site from Atlas Investments Ltd (now in receivership)
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16 Comments
#2 Posted by NC on 12 Jan 2011 at 10:28 AM
First line should read ''BDP has submitted redevelopment plans for ANOTHER eyesore on Glasgow’s premier retail thoroughfare, Buchanan Street
#3 Posted by RT on 12 Jan 2011 at 12:33 PM
Granted it is an improvement on the existing state of the site but it is unsatsfactory nonetheless. The mass of the building is overbearing and out of context with the rhythm of the historical plot structure. Buchanan Street deserves better than this.
#4 Posted by Nick on 12 Jan 2011 at 13:17 PM
"An improvement on the existing state of the site?" Really?
#5 Posted by - on 12 Jan 2011 at 14:17 PM
Guys, I think you're all being a bit harsh. The text states that it has a 'feature fin'! Feature fin! Granted, I can't spot it on the elevation, but I'm sure it will more than make up for the total lack of imagination in the rest of the design.
#6 Posted by D to the R on 12 Jan 2011 at 22:15 PM
This is S!*TE - but it probably will get planning - I love the wibbly wobbly roof lines - amatuerish first year project........
#7 Posted by GM on 13 Jan 2011 at 09:23 AM
I would be interested to see some decent drawings or a model before passing judgement. More concerned that Land Securities own both sides of the street along the third busiest shopping street in Britain, as they also have plans to develop along the rear of Queen Street Station and taking over a huge amount of retail space in that area.
#8 Posted by D to the R on 13 Jan 2011 at 21:37 PM
GM - Who cares who owns it? If it get developed it needs to be better than the tat being proposed. It's embarrasing - certainly not one of Glasgows better proposals.
#9 Posted by Kenny on 13 Jan 2011 at 21:57 PM
Yet again The Glasgow BDP practice show a HUGE inability to read, understand and acknowledge the Glasgow Scale. Too many massive and overscaled buildings getting approved. Perhaps the Planners need some Architectural training too. Get there head out of Design Policies which make no real reference to the challenges of designing in the City.
#10 Posted by h.a. on 14 Jan 2011 at 09:17 AM
too right Kenny!! but I have no hopes...the future is in the hands of this kind of offices and the planners will keep bothering only the good practices while allowing all sorts of nightmares spoil the city centre
#11 Posted by Richard Heggie on 14 Jan 2011 at 12:37 PM
No.8 - D to the R : you can find out why it's important who owns it here http://www.annaminton.com/ Have a read of Ground Control.
#12 Posted by D to the R on 15 Jan 2011 at 14:45 PM
The real problem is that there aren't more G Grams in the GCC - he seems to be the only one who actually understands architecture and urban planning ...... but he's only one fish in an ocean polluted with architectural wannabaes - a zigga zig a !
#13 Posted by D Dan on 15 Jan 2011 at 22:41 PM
D to the R...Yes I know Grams. He is a good guy. The problem in my opinion is that the Councillors in GCC are corrupt. The Planning Committee make a nonsense of the Planning Department. BTW the scheme by BDP is third rate or AKA pure dead rubbish.
#14 Posted by Craig Comerford on 20 Jan 2011 at 19:25 PM
REAL STONE FACING. Whoop dee doo. Wavy banana roof no doubt a reference to Billy Connoly. Even if it was funny, stand up comedy lasts about an hour. This third grade comic sketch wil be there for at least 20 years. Help!! Where are the exits?
#15 Posted by Graham Watson on 22 May 2011 at 17:50 PM
A hideous eyesore before it has even been built. Any architect that thinks it's better to destroy built heritage and replace it with this crap is no better than an arsonist or a vandal. Shame on the developers and shame on Glasgow City Council for having the complacency to tolerate and sanction this.
#16 Posted by Carlo M on 22 May 2011 at 19:51 PM
I can remember a really good proposal from Murray Dunlop on this site. What happened to it?
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You would think having an office on Buchanan St would help to inspire the team and perhaps notice the subtleties of the buildings and streetscape around them.