City of Glasgow College public consultation held
January 29 2013
Reiach & Hall Architects and Michael Laird Architects have joined forces on the design of the campus, its centrepiece being a redeveloped Allen Glen building to form a massive new facility so big it would envelop the whole of George Square. Rising to 11 storeys it would provide 57,000sq/m of accommodation in a BREEAM Excellent building.
At its heart will be a four storey library fronting a full height atrium which itself will double as a space for events and gatherings. A rooftop café will afford spectacular views over the city, helped by the surrounding topography.
This will face a new public park designed by Rankin Fraser on the site of the Townhead building, which aims to enhance pedestrian permeability through to the Townhead estate, aided by a widened pavement on Cathedral Street itself which supports a new baker, hairdresser, butcher and fishmonger.
The satellite riverside campus meanwhile will provide 15,000sq/m of space for the schools of nautical studies, engineering and energy – in addition to an 11 storey, 180 bedroom halls of residence.
A planning application will be submitted next week ahead of demolition work being carried out on the Allan Glen building between June 2013 and January 2014. Construction will then commence immediately with the new building completed in August 2016.
In September 2016 the Townhead building will be demolished with landscaping work concluding by August 2017.
A consultation process will commence in the autumn over the disposal and re-use of the colleges surplus properties, including the landmark Metropolitan Tower.
Cathedral Street has been cut-off from the city centre for years due to an impasse over maintenance of the Queen Street Station bridge
Cathedral Street will be transformed from a rat-run to a proper High Street
Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed to build the campus
The City of Glasgow College was formed through a merger of Central, Glasgow Metropolitan and Glasgow College of Nautical Studies
The College is being given support from the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council for its plans
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4 Comments
#1 Posted by Crikey on 30 Jan 2013 at 10:00 AM
The first image is quite scary!!!
#2 Posted by natch on 31 Jan 2013 at 19:33 PM
Crikey - not kidding, looks like Torness Power Station!!
#3 Posted by wonky on 1 Feb 2013 at 17:20 PM
I quite like this, I think it could work. There is not the usual old conflict-clash between new build/historic in this part of the city. There is the opportunity to be unashamedly modern- this design will create a vivid urban presence, with strong, cohesive and symmetric lines extending well down cathedral street. I do like the idea of opening up into Townhead, better access to the estate, an atrium and the quasi-arcade design on the street front ( if I had my way Glasgow would have more arcades than Turin ala the old Tontine style)...Leeds and Cardiff have the right idea in dealing with the British weather, and prove it doesn't have to be soulless Americana shopping-malls.
#4 Posted by Brian on 10 Feb 2013 at 11:14 AM
We have a proper High st.its called HIGH STREET!
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