Gorbals tenement survivor to be brought back to life
October 11 2016
The at risk landmark is one of a handful of listed buildings to survive in the area, making it a priority for refurbishment to arrest further deterioration of the structure following completion of the adjacent Laurieston regeneration scheme.
Under the plans ironmongery and other period features will be restored where possible together with the creation of a number of elements originally conceived by architect James Salmon but which went unrealised in the finished design.
This includes installation of a roof turret and recreation of metal balustrading to the third floor balcony as well as a reworked gable elevation through a sculptural artwork to enliven a planned linear park.
In a design statement the architects said: “Using the Cor-ten steel utilised in the arches we would work with the Gorbals Arts Project to produce a perforated design that wraps around the blank walls of the tower to create a landmark for the park.The Perforated panels, with pronounced joints aligning with string-courses, would be backlit to provide a feature marker to the linear park to complement the nighttime activity of the Citizens Theatre and O2 academy
“This would also provide a dramatic backdrop to a proposed outdoor seating area to the cafe/bar served by a new access formed at the ground floor of the gable.”
A courtyard wall would also be opened up with metal screens to provide access and views to a backcourt area.
A backcourt will be opened up by a new linear park
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22 Comments
#1 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 11 Oct 2016 at 14:01 PM
Surely the original intent of these buildings was to be part of a street terrace and not stand in splendid isolation. Very disappointing that the new build did not respect the street line.
#2 Posted by Matt Bridgestock on 11 Oct 2016 at 14:07 PM
Great news for this beautiful building, well done Southside HA and Page/Park for moving a step forward with this complicated, but important project.
#3 Posted by Charlie_ on 11 Oct 2016 at 15:24 PM
Have to agree with Graeme, this is really being left sticking out like a sore thumb
#4 Posted by Annmarie Lynch on 11 Oct 2016 at 16:33 PM
I have to agree with the other two gentleman the building will stick out look totally out of place not in line with the regeneration in the area or the new builds and I stay in Margaret street I know the building looks terrible just now but if it means saving it I'd rather they knocked it down and rebuilt rather than have it sticking out like a sore thumb.
#5 Posted by john Hughes on 11 Oct 2016 at 16:51 PM
Great news indeed for this beautiful building. I admire every it every day , as i commute to work and often wander , what will become of it. Good luck Page/Park and Southside Ha.
#6 Posted by Ted on 11 Oct 2016 at 17:58 PM
They should knock it down. Better that there be no vestige at all of the great stone city built with care and craftsmanship and artistry and pride.
#7 Posted by David on 11 Oct 2016 at 18:33 PM
So exciting to finally see a proposal for this. I think it is a very successful restoration proposal for what must have been a complicated brief. I don't agree that the building will stick out as much as is being implied, there is an infill building already designed that will fill the gap between the sandstone tenement and the new red bricks flats fronting Gorbals Street
#8 Posted by Billy on 11 Oct 2016 at 18:54 PM
At last good news. I have admired this building for years. Exciting times with the citzs getting a makeover too.The Church needs to be next. The whole area has changed for the better. The only disappointment is the lack of a Gorbals cross ...a focal point for the area like Bridgeton cross umbrella. Maybe too close to city centre to have a retail development around the cross. Not obvious that there was once a vibrant cross here in years gone by before the relocation of most of the Gorbals 250 000 residents to the new towns and housing schemes. Just wish they could have saved more buildings from the madness of city planning in the 60s.
#9 Posted by A Local Pleb on 11 Oct 2016 at 21:06 PM
Another great stride towards redeveloping this area. I like this despite the negative comments conveyed here.
#10 Posted by Clark Spatter on 11 Oct 2016 at 21:59 PM
Great news. Glad they kept it as a memorial to the old Gorbals.
#11 Posted by Clark Spatter on 11 Oct 2016 at 22:01 PM
But gets me thinking, just how did this building manage to survive? Everything around it was knocked down, but why did they spare this?
#12 Posted by Norrie Muir on 11 Oct 2016 at 22:08 PM
......it has stood out like a VERY sore thumb , for a good many years ; let it now stand resurrected and redeemed , proudly proclaiming its solitary survival....
#13 Posted by Terra on 12 Oct 2016 at 01:11 AM
Good news indeed!
#14 Posted by Sue Pearman on 12 Oct 2016 at 12:14 PM
I think it's great to see this building being saved but looking at the proposals I can't help thinking it needs a better frontage to the new public space - something more than a garden wall.
#15 Posted by Paul Sweeney on 12 Oct 2016 at 13:39 PM
Another great milestone in the physical regeneration of the shattered streetscape of the Gorbals and Laurieston. It's just a great pity that the magnificent Coliseum Theatre by Matcham was recently lost. I agree that the Caledonia Road Church is the next big priority and also consideration needs to be given to a faithful restoration of the scale and massing of the original 1870s Gorbals Cross by the City Improvement Trust, which was a Parisian-esque streetscape and a striking gateway to the southside. Glasgow should wholly adopt the Berlin model of 'critical reconstruction' in its approach to rehabilitating the former Comprehensive Development Areas like Gorbals.
#16 Posted by dave the docker on 12 Oct 2016 at 14:27 PM
#1...I think if you followed the street line you'd be right onto the road and with the previous squint tower blocks being farther back from the street line that would have had the street feeling very narrow??
#17 Posted by Stephen on 12 Oct 2016 at 16:38 PM
Great that this is being given purpose and attention. Why waste it?
No need for the frilly corten cladding - the old building is much better than its new dress.
It really highlights the generic, bricky blandness of the newest Gorbals work by P/P and E&C.
No need for the frilly corten cladding - the old building is much better than its new dress.
It really highlights the generic, bricky blandness of the newest Gorbals work by P/P and E&C.
#18 Posted by Tom Macartney- Former Director Crown Street Regeneration Project on 14 Oct 2016 at 12:59 PM
I have waited a long time to see this tennement, brought back to life. Well done everyone involved and no doubt the refurbishment will be done to the exacting standards of Southside HA. Ignore the critics, they have no idea how hard it is to get anything done, let alone this complicated little building!
#19 Posted by A lowly engineer on 15 Oct 2016 at 09:51 AM
Can't believe the number of people(presumably Architects) commenting on demolition of this splendid building. Surely we should be congratulating the HA and Page & Park for coming up with a scheme and the funds to retain a heritage that we should be proud of. Too many of these fantastic buildings have been destroyed through narrow mindedness and a lack of foresight.
Lets see how long it will be before we are demolishing or refurbishing the bland modern carbuncle beside it.
Lets see how long it will be before we are demolishing or refurbishing the bland modern carbuncle beside it.
#20 Posted by Fraser D on 17 Oct 2016 at 18:10 PM
Having to agree with some. Needs to come down. Looks wrong in its context. Can't imagine this changing. Demolishing would also allow proper road alignment. Would architects please turn their attention to Tradestoun instead.
#21 Posted by Stephen on 18 Oct 2016 at 10:26 AM
@20. "Looks wrong" is subjective and therefore overruled. The P/P stuff next door looks more wrong to me.
Not sure what you mean by "proper road alignment"? Is Venice a less successful urban environment than the Gorbals because of its bendier streets?
A final thing: architects "turn their attention" to whatever is offered to them by the people with the money.
Not sure what you mean by "proper road alignment"? Is Venice a less successful urban environment than the Gorbals because of its bendier streets?
A final thing: architects "turn their attention" to whatever is offered to them by the people with the money.
#22 Posted by Gordon on 30 May 2017 at 10:30 AM
Some commentors on here who have never lived there nor probably ever will, want to see a demolition for a homogeneous block of student flats
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