February 29 2012

Hypostyle Architects have completed work on an innovative backcourt development of a Victorian tenement block at Fore Street, Glasgow.

Occupying a tight site enclosed by tenements and with only a modest £1.5m budget available from Whiteinch & Scotstoun Housing Association the architects have inserted 15 affordable homes; including 8 flats, 4 cottage flats and 3 detached houses.

Accessed via a pend built into a new build block of flats the development replaces a former bakery and car repair workshop which had fallen into a state of disrepair.

Addressing issues of privacy, access and the provision of amenity space the development is built around an intimate pedestrian lane with properties arranged at either side, with principal rooms given a southerly aspect.

A staggered layout affords each property an unobstructed vantage over intermediate spaces which have been landscaped to form garden courtyards.

Images courtesy of Tom Manley Photography.

26 Comments

#1 Posted by Alan Dunlop on 29 Feb 2012 at 13:14 PM

Nice project, well done.

#2 Posted by sg on 29 Feb 2012 at 13:25 PM

a very pleasant scheme, well done

#3 Posted by Egbert on 29 Feb 2012 at 14:08 PM

Good work Hypostyle, this looks great.

#4 Posted by medium-g on 29 Feb 2012 at 14:33 PM

Nice to see a more sensitive scale project that is not just glass, curtain walling, bar code, panels sighs... this is ambitous thinking.

#5 Posted by Graeme N on 29 Feb 2012 at 14:44 PM

I like this- looks like a sharp little project with some nice detailing.

#6 Posted by NC on 29 Feb 2012 at 16:18 PM

Although it's good to see some positive comments on this site for once, I find the idea of this fundamentally wrong, in an area of Glasgow that is not short of space, nor high in demand. Living in such a unit, being overlooked by all the tenements must be so oppressive.

#7 Posted by Kieran Gaffney on 29 Feb 2012 at 16:33 PM

Interesting about being overlooked, might not be such an issue, certianly picture one doesn't feel too bad.

Ilike the architecture ddown low at street level but my problem is with the roof supposedly the "5th Elevation" which is frankly very poor. Was a green roof proposed and then cut for budget reasons?

#8 Posted by dirige on 29 Feb 2012 at 17:04 PM

Housing Association, I really need to put my name on the housing list.

#9 Posted by JH on 29 Feb 2012 at 21:09 PM

Good use of space.

Green roofs on these homes would have been icing on the cake.

Glasgow has hundreds of these backcourt spaces.

So plenty of scope for lots of interesting projects like this one.

#10 Posted by D to the R on 29 Feb 2012 at 21:43 PM

Crackin little project .... a really sensitve intervention ... backcourt or not ... developments like this, well executed, are far more reflective of the diversity the city needs than most of the other toot that gets planning permission on vacant corner sites - Well done Hypostyle !

#11 Posted by Liam on 29 Feb 2012 at 22:34 PM

Hypostyle....? Hypostyle?.....the world's tilted on its axis.

#12 Posted by Thurman Merman on 29 Feb 2012 at 22:49 PM

Well maybe the world has tilted on its axis - Oh my! Very nice. Who's working for them now I wonder? Lovely - well done

#13 Posted by Dill on 29 Feb 2012 at 23:27 PM

This is excellent. Well done all involved.

#14 Posted by juche on 1 Mar 2012 at 12:15 PM

Encouraging to see other firms do well. not just the usual ones.... who over publisise thay are the best firm at 5 oclock on mondya on on on under 40 on nonsens . It should just be 'great' work which this is. Humility & Modesty not vanity.

#15 Posted by Ian Morrison (WSHA) on 1 Mar 2012 at 12:56 PM

At the Housing Association we are pleased to see so many positive comments for this scheme. I must, however, correct NC: there is a dearth of sites in this area that we can get for affordable development while the demand for quality social housing is huge.

#16 Posted by Jim on 1 Mar 2012 at 15:50 PM

The scheme looks so slick! Simple is often best, less being more! The images show the scheme incredibly well. Its a shame this kind of simple tenament square infill doesnt happen more. Well done all involved.

#17 Posted by Rodney on 1 Mar 2012 at 16:31 PM

Architects should be designing buildings to improve peoples lives - not just for awards like some regulars... to be famous sighs. This scheme is both modest and elegant. Hope this practise gets more repeat work. Well done.

#18 Posted by sultan of brooneye on 1 Mar 2012 at 16:35 PM

I agree with all the positive comments. Get this in for an SDA award I say!

#19 Posted by Thomson Mackintosh on 1 Mar 2012 at 17:08 PM

To contradict the ill informed 'NC', why bemoan the gentler touch of urban renewal, where very little has been disturbed, while perserving the Glasgow city fabric. This project demonstrates how a careful and considered approach to design can fulfil the varying needs of a client on a very modest budget. Im sure NC will be a fan of a certain big budget "Commonwealth Games Athletes Village", where the promise of post game quality affordable housing has yet to convince even the Housing Associations. There's talent involved here and lets hope its on a few award shortlists in 2012.

#20 Posted by NC on 1 Mar 2012 at 17:32 PM

Thomson Mackintosh, not bemoaning the gentler touch of urban renewal, just wondering why we have to do this when there is land available. If it were Central London, Manhattan or Hong Kong, I would understand it. I agree with the majority of comments and yours that there is skill in the implementation by Hypostyle, I just can't get over that fundamentally you are living in someone's back garden with very little outlook. I do not believe in the Commonwealth Games Athletes Villiage either.

#21 Posted by rg on 2 Mar 2012 at 05:44 AM

everyone seems to be overlooking the important issues. glass blocks? wtf?

#22 Posted by Thomson Mackintosh on 2 Mar 2012 at 09:55 AM

Just to reiterate the post.15 from Ian Morrison, just in case you missed it NC, the site sits in an area cluttered with industrial units and terraced blocks. There is very little land available for any new build, unless you steal a bit of Victoria Park - I mean who needs greenspace! A quick glance on 'Google Maps' (other map sites are available) shows the extent of what was there previously. What the site selection and design has done, is to try something a wee bit different in terms of how we can approach the Glasgow urban fabric without slashing an 'M8' style gash right through it. Whether it works or not is up to the folk moving in, not us lot in our ivory architect's towers, spinning our fancy bow-ties. :D

#23 Posted by dirige on 2 Mar 2012 at 10:10 AM

As for the overlooking part, the scheme seems to look into itself, so maybe more private than the second image suggests. Anyawy, no point in judging it from a few photos, need to get down there and see it for myself.

#24 Posted by Walt Disney on 2 Mar 2012 at 14:35 PM

Amazing wee project. Well done to the architect and client.

#25 Posted by Dr Dre on 2 Mar 2012 at 15:05 PM

Bring on the new young forward thinking emerging practises. Big commerical have sold out.

#26 Posted by SM on 2 Mar 2012 at 15:31 PM

#25 - Worth noting that Hypostyle have been around for a long time, 1985 I beleive their website states.
Great little scheme, and I fully agree with infilling dis-used tenement back-courts. the majority in Glasgow suffer from severe lack of mantainance and issues with access and safety. Well done.

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