August 8 2023

Detailed plans have surfaced for the creation of an 'eco-friendly' community of 362 apartments on the site of a Finnieston gym. Real estate giant Redevco has teamed up with Cooper Cromar to deliver the vision, which will position hundreds of homes around a 'lush green heart' in the bustling inner city district.

Located at 11 Minerva Way the project will replace the existing warehouse-style gym and associated car parking adjacent to the G3 Square development.

Bisected by a railway tunnel the site is split between two apartment blocks, each dressed in dark brick with matt black metalwork and white-glazed terracotta. Inward-facing facades take their cue from a courtyard garden with green glazed terracotta acknowledging the natural environment.

Outlining this dual identity Cooper Cromar wrote: "The softer internal courtyard harks back to Glasgow’s well-established architectural language of external matt masonry and inner light glazed brick courts. The Terracotta, whilst reflecting light and seasons, creates a dynamic green mantle adjacent to the leafy central core of the proposal.

"The internal court provides a literal representation of a green building, alongside a unique soft light heart to the development. We are currently investigating sustainable cladding types, the suggested Terracotta is a natural clay product and fully demountable/recyclable."

Whole-life carbon considerations extend to the use of renewable power as well as the provision of growing spaces and the retention of trees to the southern perimeter.

12 Comments

#1 Posted by Roddy_ on 8 Aug 2023 at 15:50 PM

Looks like the designers are banking on a consent based on the two-tone terracotta à la Candleriggs / Buchanan Wharf.

A horrible scheme of islands floating next to a sea of parking and porly defined public space and defensible spaces . The forms ; unrelieved by modulation.The fenestration; that of a young offenders institute. The semi-mature courtyard visualisations; a ruse.

A truly depressing reflection of the austerity architecture in being brought forward in Glasgow at present.

#2 Posted by pooka on 8 Aug 2023 at 16:09 PM

really enjoying the resurgent proliferation of north facing single ends in glasgow

#3 Posted by Some Musings on 8 Aug 2023 at 16:33 PM

I am personally not a great fan of sarcasm #2 but I do agree with the sentiment.
I outlined a short history, and some thoughts, on exactly that, a few months ago. It gets stopped as spam if I try to post a link but if you copy and paste this into a browser it should work if Urban Realm allows: telegra[dot]ph/Single-End-vs-Single-Aspect-03-01

#4 Posted by Daniel on 9 Aug 2023 at 10:22 AM

"Green design" = "loads of car parking", very good

#5 Posted by James Hepburn on 9 Aug 2023 at 12:55 PM

It will fit right in with the rest of the monotonous skyline that Glasgow City Council has green lighted. Why is the planning department so poor and why are developers allowed to get away with so many sub-standard developments?

#6 Posted by Apache 2 on 9 Aug 2023 at 14:56 PM

#5 what is it that so ails you about this? Genuinely interested to understand where these comments are coming from? What’s your preferred skyline?
Are planning wrong to maintain the same level or should it vary more - assuming developer wants to built tall (maybe they’re starting small then will change the height later??)

#7 Posted by Sue Pearman on 9 Aug 2023 at 16:12 PM

To me, this seems like another case of considerable overdevelopment. To increase the height and density so much over the previous consent, have so many single aspect flats, so little useable amenity space and such little parking provision seems so against Planning policy intent and basic common sense. If this ever gets built there will inevitably be huge parking problems spread onto neighbouring streets, and the lack of aspiration in the design points towards a very low quality development, with a strong potential for negative social issues tee'd up for the future.

#8 Posted by S on 10 Aug 2023 at 12:16 PM

Planning permission should be rejected, this gym is required for the local community and members who work in the vicinity. Gym > Living

#9 Posted by RJB on 10 Aug 2023 at 13:48 PM

Each successive development in this area seems to aim to less good than its predecessors.

While its probably a good spot for densification, I hope the planners push for the Gym to be integrated into this or another scheme.

#10 Posted by Euro Car Parks on 11 Aug 2023 at 09:27 AM

My business will be extremely affected. I have regular offenders who don't abide by the maximum parking hours at Nuffield.

#11 Posted by Lovely on 11 Aug 2023 at 11:58 AM

All so negative but surely even though it fails on almost all metrics if it has the word 'green' in the title then all is okay...?

The problem with all this green wash nonsense is that people forget sustainability also refers to embodied carbon, good natural materials, long life materials, good overall design, community, liveability, life style, human orientated spaces and pleasant environments and interconnections where people are valued over profit.

It should not just be a tick box exercise/excuse to do with running costs on a high energy, plasticky, ugly and inhuman piece of bad design.

#12 Posted by Lewsi on 13 Aug 2023 at 11:20 AM

The main problem is that is is GREY not green. I jest but. We must stop all production of grey buildings in Scotland it’s very -‘ Let’s all have depression’ vibes.

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