University of Strathclyde advertises for campus design team
January 24 2017
The Place @ Strathclyde aims to provide a new heart for the city centre campus with design proposals calling for the pedestrianization of Richmond and North Portland Street’s together with a revamp of Rottenrow Gardens to ameliorate a precipitous 1:6 gradient.
BDP and Gardiner & Theobald were tasked with undertaking an options appraisal for the brief in April of last year, determining that the preferred option would be a refurbishment with new build limited to a ‘wedge’ insert to create a series of ‘learning terraces’ between both.
Outlining the proposed scale of works in a feasibility report the university envisages installation of a new external envelope and transparent glazing, a double height entrance and possible coloured cladding to the Colville building while retaining the solid copper bays and rooflights in a refurbishment of the Architecture Building.
Phased work to Rottenrow Gardens would allow creation of a ‘shared space plaza’ connecting to an existing sculpture garden.
A closing date for bids has been set for 13 February.
An outdoor plaza bisecting the Architecture and Colville buildings will become a covered space
Structural elements of the current Colville building such as beams, columns and soffits will be exposed
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6 Comments
#1 Posted by Yaldy on 24 Jan 2017 at 12:55 PM
I wonder what the future holds for the Graham Hills Building, or, for that matter, the entire part of the campus facing onto George Street, Royal College aside (on which I think the university's lease ends soon anyway)
#2 Posted by John on 24 Jan 2017 at 13:22 PM
The Strathclyde campus plan advocated demolition of the Colville Building and the vacation of some others fronting George St. With a new "Front Door" built on the Rottenrow site. Wonder if they have changed their minds with some of it
#3 Posted by Scouler on 24 Jan 2017 at 13:54 PM
Hey, thats not bad. I like it.
It should age well given the materials. No ugly cladding.
It should age well given the materials. No ugly cladding.
#4 Posted by modernish on 24 Jan 2017 at 15:55 PM
All I know is North Portland Street is A LOT steeper than shown on those images!!! Many a happy winters hour was spent peeking over the top of my drawing board in the architecture building watching people blown off their feet as they tried to get up or (more difficultly) down the hill.
#5 Posted by Observer on 25 Jan 2017 at 13:01 PM
Looks good but the University doesn't own all of this
#6 Posted by Pete on 26 Jan 2017 at 11:54 AM
Bleurgh. Acres of (almost certainly cheaply detailed) curtain walling that in reality won't be half as transparent as shown in the CGIs. Looks like a faceless office building that could be anywhere in the world.
My interpretation of the options appraisal paragraph (and comment above about an entrance to the West) is that cost and maybe a lack of design ambition at a large commercial practice like BDP has limited the potential of this project considerably. Sorry to be so negative. Good that there's investment at all!
My interpretation of the options appraisal paragraph (and comment above about an entrance to the West) is that cost and maybe a lack of design ambition at a large commercial practice like BDP has limited the potential of this project considerably. Sorry to be so negative. Good that there's investment at all!
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