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Strathclyde Police submit Dalmarnock HQ plans

Strathclyde Police submit Dalmarnock HQ plans

June 3 2011

Ambitious plans for Strathclyde Police to move their force headquarters from their dilapidated Pitt Street HQ in Glasgow city centre to a shiny new edifice in Dalmarnock have advanced with submission of a planning application.

Designed by Cooper Cromar the scheme comprises a five storey modernist block set back at an off angle to the river Clyde and the planned East End Regeneration Route.

The premises are surrounded by expansive surface car parking for up to 190 vehicles and a portion of public space comprising a granite sett paved plaza opening out onto a refurbished Clyde Walkway.

Meeting the ground via a two storey base concourse punctuated by feature limestone and granite columns the structure rises through three storeys of full height glazing framed by black metal cladding panels.

Though a high security environment boundary defences will be mitigated through employment of a highly transparent security fence to the south, allowing unobstructed views across the river.

Vehicle barriers will also be camouflaged within dense hedgerow.

Images are indicative only.

Halcrow Yolles are acting as structural engineers on the scheme

11 Comments

#1 Posted by AB on 4 Jun 2011 at 14:39 PM

'surrounded by expansive surface car parking' and 'Vehicle barriers will also be camouflaged within dense hedgerow' . . . . . I really can't believe someone could write this, they should really be given a glasgow kiss.

#2 Posted by Carlo M on 4 Jun 2011 at 15:29 PM

Can't wait to not see the "highly transparent security fence to the south" Bit like a chocolate fireguard maybe.

#3 Posted by D to the R on 5 Jun 2011 at 21:03 PM

Strangely like most of the 'news' on this website there are never narratives from the architercts who design the buildings - which begs the question - where does the information comes from ? Surely then the text above is Urban Realm's take on the proposals??

#4 Posted by D to the L on 6 Jun 2011 at 11:03 AM

I'm sure this is the CC narrative, Bro.
Sounds to me like the kind of thing they'd say?

#5 Posted by N on 6 Jun 2011 at 15:15 PM

Ohhh very average. Like a poor mans BBC and everything else they do.

#6 Posted by JO T on 6 Jun 2011 at 15:24 PM

I think gordon murray did some great drawings for a police hq for strathclyde, is this the same project? maybe Cooper Cromer was cheaper!!!!!

#7 Posted by Jimbo on 7 Jun 2011 at 09:27 AM

What a cynical shower of eejits. #1; it means lots of car parking, or would you rather out police officers walked everywhere and chased villains in cars on their bicycles or by foot? And maybe you would rather just look at concrete security features, rather than a hedge? #2; maybe you’d rather they didn’t make any effort to visually connect the building to the river… then you’d be gnashing your dentures.

I like the transparent design, more welcoming than the current HQ in town, reflects the general shift in aim to greater transparency in public policy. Oh dear, I'm starting to sound like an ar*hitect. Actually, most ar*hitects don’t possess such insight.

#8 Posted by MH on 7 Jun 2011 at 10:10 AM

Jimbo,
'Transparency' in the architecture does not relate to transparency in public policy, a glib cliche that pedlars of glass box design have been pushing for years.

#9 Posted by Jimbo on 7 Jun 2011 at 11:22 AM

MH, it's just my opinion; I think the transparent design is very appropriate for a police headquarters is basically what I'm saying. And police policy is obviously part of overall public policy.

What would you have instead and what would the implications of your proposed alternative be in terms of the public’s perception of the Police? I think that's a key aspect of the design for a policy headquarters.