GLASGOW ARCHITECTURE
GOOD DESIGN
I have always been interested in buildings, especially older ones. I think Glasgow often gets overlooked for its architecture compared to the likes of touristy Edinburgh, except for things such as the Mackintosh building. When trying to think of ideas for my design blog I naturally thought that I would want to write something about buildings. This was maybe just an excuse to wander around Glasgow of an afternoon, but I decided to take some photos of some buildings that I both liked and disliked. There’s plenty of things to complain about in Glasgow, but I for the most part buildings aren’t one of them. I like to say that Glasgow is beautiful if you just look up. So here are a few of my favourite buildings in Glasgow and what I like about them...
The first example that always stands out to me is the Beresford building on Sauchiehall street. When around the art school I’m always walking past this building. I think what is most appealing about it is how different it is from the rest of the buildings around Glasgow. Opened in 1938, this building embraced the art deco style of the era and was the tallest building in Glasgow at the time.
Art Deco is a style of design that was often influenced by bold geometric forms leading to clean and streamlined designs. These designs represented luxury and glamour at the time, celebrating advances in technology. I think this building represents this perfectly, with its simple cube like form with curves and elegant detail at the front, enhanced by the bold and striking red and cream colour scheme. The building has served many purposes throughout its life, first as a luxury hotel where JFK gave his first ever public address at in 1939, then as student accommodation and now as private residence.
Just look at the clean cream facade and the bold red accents. It is so simple yet so effective. It gives a sense of class and extravagance that is not seen much these days on Sauchiehall Street. When you compare it to the kind of hotels you see pop up these days its absolute night and day. This is no Premier Inn.
Another building that always stands out to me is the o2 abc ruins that are also on Sauchiehall Street. It’s difficult to photograph now without getting a load of graffiti and plywood, so there’s some older photos of it over the years. When trying to find more about this building I was amazed at how it has changed over the years. The iconic dome, that has since collapsed in on itself, was originally a diorama and the facade we see today was added in 1929 for the opening of a cinema. This is the part of the building I like for the record, not the added lifeless brick rectangle that was added during the 60s. I like the buildings from this period, they stand out from the sandstone buildings around the city while not sticking out like a sore thumb. I always think it’s a shame that nothing has happened with these buildings in this area since they burned down. Like the original art school building, this is one I wished I had been inside before it burned down.
Similar to the Beresford building it features a cream paintwork with bold light blue accents around the arched doorway. I don’t believe it was always this way. The old photographs when it was a cinema appear to have it all the one colour. Regardless, the form and detail of the facade create an almost grand and luxurious feel, like how cinema was perceived at the time. This opened at a time when more and more people were beginning to go to the cinema, as it shifted from viewings in more grotty venues to a more premium pleasurable affair. It fit into the Sauchiehall street of then and it fits into the Sauchiehall street of now (minus the scaffolding).
It is impossible to talk about Glasgow architecture without mentioning the sandstone buildings and tenements. Arguably, the most beautiful aspects of Glasgow. It’s difficult to choose the best example of this to discuss. I find the buildings surrounding Charing Cross a good example of this style, if you ignore the hideous M8 motorway through the centre (an example of terrible city design).
It’s difficult to put into words what it is that is so appealing about these buildings. The detail and elegance of the Victorian era and gothic styles make these buildings a pleasant sight around every corner of the city. The intricate corbelling, turrets and brickwork show a level of craftsmanship rarely seen in recent years. These were constructed using Sandstone and materials from nearby. Often coming from places like Dumfries. The idea of using local materials crafted a rich and historically significant plethora of sandstone buildings that are built to last. You just wouldn’t see buildings today built from materials all sourced from Scotland, and I think that’s a shame.
I think what is upsetting is that it is actually possible. Dresden in Germany is a good example of this. It was essentially flattened during the war, with many of its highly ornate and decorated buildings reduced to rubble. I’ve never visited here but I have visited other places in Germany such as Cologne. They chose the approach of rebuilding in the newer modern cheaper styles (hard to criticise this given the circumstances). This leads to the city centre almost seeming like one modern endless high street that lacks character. Dresden did something similar initially creating a sort of lifeless city. This was overturned in the 90s when they further invested in rebuilding many of their landmarks to the way they were before the war. This just goes to show the craftsmanship is possible it just needs people that are willing to design things like this. Now I am obviously not advocating that all buildings should look like they did 100 years ago. It’s important for buildings to evolve with society but I think modern examples just don’t have this charm that many older ones do.