November 19 2020

A high profile gap-site on the River Clyde which has lain derelict for over 15 years is to be plugged after planners dismissed flooding concerns and gave the all-clear to build an £18m hotel.

Holiday Inn Pacific Quay has been designed by Mosaic to complete the waterfront from STV to the Science Centre and bolster the city's Clyde Mission to reactivate the river.

Mosaic director Neil Haining said: “This development has been carefully considered in response to the site’s immediate context within Pacific Quay and provides a much needed new business hotel of appropriate scale and high-quality materials.

“The Riverside restaurant and Rooftop terrace have been designed to take advantage of the views of the SECC, The Hydro and the Finnieston Crane. The ground floor reception and public areas connect to the new enhanced external public realm which extends along the Riverside walkway“

Delivering 150 bedrooms over seven floors the hotel will  be finished in aluminium and acid etched precast concrete cladding panels and includes a first-floor conference and co-working space as well as a top floor sky bar.

13 Comments

#1 Posted by Whispering Andy on 19 Nov 2020 at 14:54 PM

Whisper it....but that looks great! Well done Neil and team.

#2 Posted by jimbob tanktop on 19 Nov 2020 at 15:38 PM

Seems like a nice addition.

#3 Posted by Wizard of William on 19 Nov 2020 at 17:29 PM

I think they should revise their design to make their rooftop bar/terrace have a much much bigger floor area. Especially in these days of pandemics, an open air rooftop bar would be allowed to stay open when indoors can't.

People say what's the point in a big rooftop bar because of the weather, but it would still drive big business if it was designed so you could quickly deploy protection from the rain. The 'Radisson Red' roof top bar open air bad is absolutely tiny but very often rammed and hard to get a table at, I bet you they wish they had put in a bigger one.

There would be a phenomenal view of the landmarks on the other side of the bank.

#4 Posted by Peter on 20 Nov 2020 at 11:04 AM

#3 Open rooftop bar? To be used 5-6 days a year when it's not raining or blasting? Not really wise idea.

#5 Posted by David on 20 Nov 2020 at 11:21 AM

#4, why not? Glasgow has more dry days than wet ones over the course of the year. If they can work in other cities with similar climates such as Manchester, Dublin etc. then why not here too. The one at the Radisson Red is always packed.

#6 Posted by The Bairn on 20 Nov 2020 at 12:31 PM

Hey forget about the rooftop bar...its too cold and wet in Scotland.
Better to concentrate on the eyesore visual impact using lumps of retro concrete cladding panels. Makes the STV building look fantastic!!
Architect cannot design for toffee but at least the space has been filled in.

#7 Posted by Upporty on 20 Nov 2020 at 12:46 PM

The J. Parker roof top bar in Chicago is an interesting concept, it has a retractable glass roof for a 200m2 seating area. They close the roof in the colder winter months so they can still use the area. That could be an interesting concept to repeat here, it would be packed constantly in the summer when the roof is open.

I think that the Radisson Red must have a big problem having such a small open air bar which is very popular, guest staying in the hotel must get annoyed if they can't get into in when it is full of people who aren't actually staying there.

#8 Posted by Maggie Mowbary on 20 Nov 2020 at 21:59 PM

If they had something like a 20m x 10m open air roof bar with a retractable glass ceiling on the western end of the building it would be awesome.

They would have open air sunsets overlooking the Clyde in the summer and they can close it and still get business in the winter, or if there is a pandemic leave it open in the winter and get business because it is an outside bar.

#9 Posted by town planner on 21 Nov 2020 at 09:46 AM

I appreciate there's little point ranting on this website, but jesus is this the best we can come up with?! Look at that site on the Clyde! Opposite probably the most eye-catching new buildings in Glasgow, the Hydro, and the Armadillo, with the Finnie Crane too. New developments here should augment these existing buildings, creating an exciting place for locals and tourists in our largest city. There's an opportunity for some well-designed taller buildings, instead of the horizontal ground-scrapers we have seemingly perfected in Scotland. (hello BBC next door) Is it just that we are fairly skint and there's not the money to do anything better? The design in itself isn't terrible, but feels like a missed opportunity. Rant ends... good morning and god bless.

#10 Posted by Billy on 21 Nov 2020 at 12:16 PM

#9. Totally agree. Buildings on the South of the Clyde at this site are bland . The BBC building a disgrace of a building. You would think a media giant would want a showcase building not a glass box and stv even worse. And as for the hotels ...... Hopefully their shelf lives will be short and we can have better buildings built on this world famous river.

#11 Posted by David on 21 Nov 2020 at 16:41 PM

I think the Barclays campus will provide the south bank with some much needed architectural interest. A mixture of old listed buildings and above average new builds. I think the added height here will more appropriate than further down river near the media quarter, which is further away from central Glasgow. The priority on the Clyde are the large areas of derelict land on either side of the Kingston Bridge. This would be the perfect location of some 40+ storey towers.

#12 Posted by Brandwagon on 21 Nov 2020 at 17:02 PM

Another disconnected, corporate Clydeside banality.
Yeah, congratulations Neil and team...

#13 Posted by Billy on 21 Nov 2020 at 19:34 PM

#11. We can hope and I am optimistic about the Barclays Campus. And then there are the 2 new hotels at Dixon St to look forward to. Not sure how Candleriggs is progressing as not been in City Centre for a while. Wonder if the India st,old S R C site got approval.

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