November 12 2014

BDP have submitted long-awaited plans for the redevelopment of Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries shopping centre to Glasgow City Council on behalf of Land Securities.

Dubbed Buchanan Quarter the £300m project will attempt to better knit the giant mall into the surrounding urban fabric and transport infrastructure which have been broadly split into five key components; A new ‘Rotunda’ at the head of Buchanan Street, the existing Buchanan Galleries, a southern extension, a 1,700 space car park to the east of Queen Street Station and a new leisure and retail extension above the current north cutting.

Principally this takes the form of a four storey retail and leisure atrium will be built above the existing station, capped by a 10 screen Showcase cinema, that will connect to the car park via a glass link bridge.

Plans to build a circular rotunda at the head of Buchanan Street have been amended to include a rooftop view point, with the existing steps removed to improve access. This will serve to open up the roof level catering space populated by restaurants and external terraces.

Amongst planned public realm improvements is a new arrivals square at Queen Street Station, with BDP noting: “In Dundas Street the taxi turning area is to be removed to create a pedestrian friendly environment where the transport hubs converge. The existing steps and stepped ramp arrangement are to be reconfigured with natural stone finishes. Removing the traffic then creates a more attractive meeting space with a café kiosk to spill out onto this new square.”

Elsewhere an A-listed bridge over cathedral Street will be remodelled to accommodate a retail unit and multi-storey car park, although iron balustrades will be retained along the majority of the bridge. This will be flanked by a structural arch, mirroring the curves of the station below.

In their design statement BDP explained: “The north cutting building spans over the railway lines below. A
series of bow trusses support the majority of the building whilst an expressed arch is incorporated in to the façade giving this elevation a unique character. The arch forms a key feature in the lighting strategy.”

Cladding for these new elements will be a mixture of concrete panels, limestone and granite. BDP wrote: “Large scale concrete panels of the department store are continued along North Hanover Street. At street level the base of the building is expressed using granite cladding.

Limestone cladding is used to define the northern most building on North Hannover Street The smaller stone module contrasts with the larger panels on the department store. The cinema is recessed back from the façade and in contrast to the stone, is clearly defined using vertically jointed metal cladding panels. The cinema, and by extension leisure facilities generally, are signaled using a glazed light box at the south facing end of the cinema.”

Construction work was originally scheduled to commence this year but has now been delayed until April, with completion not expected until March 2018.

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