May 26 2016

The University of Glasgow has applied for permission in principle for a redevelopment of the former Western Infirmary site to create a range of teaching and research spaces, retail, offices, flats, restaurants and hotels.

Drafted by 7N Architects, Simpson & Brown, Aecom, Arup and LUC the £775m five-year plan aims to bring about the most significant expansion of the university since its relocation to Gilmorehill in 1870.

This envisages focussing development around a public space connecting Byres Road to Kelvingrove Park and the historic campus. Activated by a range of ground floor uses this would serve as a point of congregation for staff and students and events.

In their design statement 7N noted: “The proposals for the Western site seek to define a series of urban blocks that mediate between the formality of the grid to the west of the site and the looser definition of the core of the University campus and Kelvingrove Park to the east.

“A definitive edge is established to the currently fractured edge condition behind the Joseph Black Building, that had defined the previous western limit of the University Campus. A definitive urban edge is also established to the eastern edge of the retained buildings on Church Street, also currently a fractured edge condition, with these two defined urban edges meeting to form a new central public space at the heart of the new development.”

“An important new route is created linking this new public space to Byres Road, defined by urban edges on either side.”

In contrast to the ‘urban’ edges to the north a ‘feathered’ edge to the south will see ‘fingers’ of landscaping extend from Kelvingrove Park into the heart of the campus.

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