Glasgow Academy science & technology wing secures planning
September 19 2012
Designed by Page\Park Architects working in collaboration with Atelier 10, the project will occupy the site of two vacant Victorian tenements owned by the school on Colebrooke Street.
The new build will replace existing science facilities across the site and will employ a number of environmental initiatives such as a heat labyrinth, natural lighting and ventilation and recycled materials.
Views of the Barclay Brothers designed main building will be framed by the new extension.
It is hoped to commence construction on the £10m purpose built facility by next summer.
This bay windowed tenement would be demolished to make way for the school
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10 Comments
#1 Posted by Bingo Jom on 19 Sep 2012 at 13:26 PM
Absolute travesty. This must be stopped. Entirely out of kilter with the West End.
#2 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 19 Sep 2012 at 14:33 PM
What is the travesty? What is it out of kilter with and why should things all be 'in kilter' (if there is such a thing)?
For my part - I think in the grand scheme of things this looks (from the single render provided) to be a mature little well mannered building that, if done well with quality materials will be a real asset to the area. It has the same feel about it of several areas of the west end where newer GU buildings integrate quite well with original housing stock etc to create a nice campus feel.
I am impressed with what is shown.
For my part - I think in the grand scheme of things this looks (from the single render provided) to be a mature little well mannered building that, if done well with quality materials will be a real asset to the area. It has the same feel about it of several areas of the west end where newer GU buildings integrate quite well with original housing stock etc to create a nice campus feel.
I am impressed with what is shown.
#3 Posted by Danny on 20 Sep 2012 at 12:54 PM
The old tenements have a fairly scary lean on so I'm not surprised that they're for the chop. It would be interesting to know if the feasibility of a refurb of the existing tenements was actually considered though
#4 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 20 Sep 2012 at 14:30 PM
Refurb them to what end though? Fair enough it would be good to see the tenement done up and back in use, but the school owns them and has no need for tenement housing. Better to knock down and build quality purposes built accommodation in its place.
#5 Posted by Danny on 20 Sep 2012 at 16:13 PM
Refurb them into a science and technology wing. The school already uses existing tenements for educational purposes as you can see in the picture above. The area is a conservation area after all.
#6 Posted by Darwin on 20 Sep 2012 at 16:22 PM
Surely cities evolve and are not static entities and as situations change, so should the city? The tenement, whilst it remains an interesting example of historic domestic architecture, it is hardly of grade A historic merit....we're ripping out historic statues that have been in the centre of Glasgow for over 100 years, why not get rid of this tenement....
#7 Posted by Danny on 20 Sep 2012 at 17:15 PM
Fair enough, but the purpose of a conservation area is to conserve the character of that area. This development is in a conservation area. The conservation area has been designated by the Council which (idealistically speaking) represents the democratic will of the people. In any case I'm not necesserily against the proposal (which looks pretty good) I'm just interested to know if the re-use of the existing buildings had been looked into in any depth by the developer.
#8 Posted by wunderkind on 21 Sep 2012 at 11:18 AM
@Danny, notwithstanding your point, it is a travesty that refurbishment projects are charged VAT whereas new builds aren't, which has the impact, before you even put pen to paper, of slapping a significant cost burden onto any refurb option.
PagebackslashPark are renowned for their refurbishment work so I would suggest that they will have been well placed to assist in the determination of the financial/operational viability of the refurb/new build at an early stage.
PagebackslashPark are renowned for their refurbishment work so I would suggest that they will have been well placed to assist in the determination of the financial/operational viability of the refurb/new build at an early stage.
#9 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 21 Sep 2012 at 13:54 PM
It's an interesting point you raise, Danny and Wunderkind in response. Obviously the Conservation Area is there for a reason, and it is generally a good thing.
However, that is not to say that the Conservation Area means - no development. This scheme proposes demolition of some tenement blocks, not listed in themselves, and replacement with what looks to be a high quality modern building. I dont in this instance see that it detracts from the nature of the Conservation Area, rather it adds to it.
However, that is not to say that the Conservation Area means - no development. This scheme proposes demolition of some tenement blocks, not listed in themselves, and replacement with what looks to be a high quality modern building. I dont in this instance see that it detracts from the nature of the Conservation Area, rather it adds to it.
#10 Posted by David on 25 Sep 2012 at 11:30 AM
I agree. A conservation area still allows for the insertion of quality new build architecture, which will respond, hopefully, well to its sensitive surroundings.
I passed the site at the weekend and the lean on the existing tenements is indeed, pretty scary. I certainly wouldn't want to live or work in there.
I passed the site at the weekend and the lean on the existing tenements is indeed, pretty scary. I certainly wouldn't want to live or work in there.
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