Stirling breaks ground on major town centre expansion
November 28 2014
Delivered on behalf of Stirling Council and Stirling Development Agency the £8m scheme will offer a range of one and two bedroom flats together with three ground floor commercial units.
Outlining their design Michael Laird said: “Goosecroft Road is really a recent addition, conceived as part of the retail expansion culminating in the Thistle Marches, to provide much needed traffic relief to the congested city centre. Due to the site's orientation towards Murray Place and the hinter land behind, Goosecroft Road has never benefitted from a proper street frontage or urban presence to complete the whole Murray Place/ Station Road/Seaforth Place/ Goosecroft Road urban block
“A contemporary building is envisaged with a materiality of robust and durable materials befitting its location. The design will be articulated to reflect the nature of the use and take advantage of the prominent setting looking towards the Wallace Monument.”
Work is scheduled for completion in November 2015 and will serve as a ‘catalyst’ for an extension of the town centre further along Goosecroft Road, completing the urban block through to the Station Road elevation.
Finished in black textured brick with concrete detailing the completed build will be inscribed with famous historic quotations describing the county
Stirling Station currently lies severed behind a busy dual carriageway and shopping mall
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6 Comments
#1 Posted by Chris on 28 Nov 2014 at 15:48 PM
The dark brick is a tad oppressive.
#2 Posted by james on 28 Nov 2014 at 16:14 PM
Like this. it looks better close up rather than as a whole. However, it covers a multitude of sins regarding the back of the high st.. It has a good urban scale like that in nearby Barnton Street, Stirling. The brick again is chainmail-like as at the Bannockburn centre - looks appropriate too - the absence of colour against the backdrop of greyish Stirling. But here's the quibble and it is just that - weathering - I suspect that the part played by the recon applique frame in the scale of the composition and in stopping those tablets for the tourists visually 'floating' will disappear very quickly as its pristine state of off-white will soon disappear in the stain of rain and car fug and will look very dilapidated as the grid will be visually broken as soon as I can say mah T-square's gawn!
#3 Posted by Sam Shortt on 2 Dec 2014 at 09:19 AM
This south facing frontage including the adjacent Thistle Shopping Center (1960s part) is one of the most dismal arrival points for bus and train passengers visiting any Scottish town. This can only improve things but not at all sure about the dark brickwork
#4 Posted by Alexander on 11 May 2015 at 19:13 PM
Despite Mr Laird's astute observation that the site "has never benefitted from a proper street frontage or urban presence", he seems to have completely failed to address this in his design. Or is that the point?
It's obvious that the only thing this building will be catalysing is the bank balance of CCG Dev. Ltd. It's disappointing, that given the prominence of the site, that there is a complete failure in terms of public realm and lack of consideration of how the surrounding context (built, social, economic) could really benefit from this project. Architect, developer and cooncil all culpable for missed opportunities such as this.
It's obvious that the only thing this building will be catalysing is the bank balance of CCG Dev. Ltd. It's disappointing, that given the prominence of the site, that there is a complete failure in terms of public realm and lack of consideration of how the surrounding context (built, social, economic) could really benefit from this project. Architect, developer and cooncil all culpable for missed opportunities such as this.
#5 Posted by Egbert on 12 May 2015 at 11:50 AM
#4 - It's a little unfair to blame Mr. Laird for having failed to address this, given that he's been dead since 1998.
#6 Posted by Doreen on 19 May 2015 at 15:24 PM
Reminds me of those horrific buildings from the 1970's when 'New Towns' were springing up all over the place.
This building looks drab already and will add nothing to the already depressing and run down Stirling city centre. Stirling city centre needs a total revamp depressing place to shop and to live in. But the people are ever so friendly.
This building looks drab already and will add nothing to the already depressing and run down Stirling city centre. Stirling city centre needs a total revamp depressing place to shop and to live in. But the people are ever so friendly.
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