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Flats plan drives Dennistoun debate

November 17 2017

Flats plan drives Dennistoun debate
Applicant Nixon Blue has revealed its intent to build 31 flats within a the six storey apartment block on Dennistoun’s ‘Drives’ district on a site presently occupied by a disused gospel hall.

Vellow Wood Architecture have been commissioned to oversee the 100 Finlay Drive build with the intention of creating an ‘elegant classically-inspired’ building which takes its design cues from the surrounding tenement grid.

In their design statement the architects observed: “Vertically, the form to both elevations is defined in reference to the classical tenement’s “bottom, middle and top” arrangement with a base separated by a string course, a central section topped by a cornice-shelf, and a penthouse or roof top section in a darker material. This gives a sense of connection to place but reinterpreted in a contemporary manner.”

In form the proposed L-plan block will have a protruding cube-shaped corner feature building out to the bay windows of neighboring properties and topped by a penthouse flat although brick will be used in place of stone on cost grounds.

Public representations on the proposal must be made today with many locals having already weighed in with their views.
Critics object to the proposed scale of the build and a lack of parking
Critics object to the proposed scale of the build and a lack of parking

5 Comments

Walt Disney
#1 Posted by Walt Disney on 17 Nov 2017 at 14:45 PM
....and we're still trying to fit 5 storeys next to 4 storeys and pretend that the proportions work. Anyone old enough to remember McGurn's tenenment in Maryhill? That was the future back in the 1980s. The wee elevation just shows how wrong the idea ias they don't have the confidence to show it in the context of very intact, handsome, 4 storey tenements.

Land owner wants too much money, developer needs to stack em and rack em to get land value...architect hung out to dry.
Sgeezus
#2 Posted by Sgeezus on 17 Nov 2017 at 14:59 PM
Argument about the parking spaces is valid, howerver the target for this shoeboxes would be Chinese students or cheap professionals who usually don't have cars.

The main problem for residents would be the construction itself - a constant stream of lorries, cranes, tippers and traffic management geniuses making life of locals unbelievably uncomfortable for, say, 18-24b months.

Of course this would be watered down by marketing bull-it, letters to locals assuring nothing will change but hey - there is no space for a bin-lorry to operate easily on these narrow street so imagine a proper construction equipment next to school and most of the streets around closed for parking for two years.

Building itself is a modern crap. Not better not worse than everything around Dennistoun which is not rotten to the bone tenement crap. Let's be happy that one more gap side would be filled and sorry for locals to go through this construction horror period.
Joseph Moore
#3 Posted by Joseph Moore on 20 Nov 2017 at 20:35 PM
As a local resident on Onslow Drive I welcome this scheme as it’s about time this derelict brownfield site got developed. The comments on construction traffic are laughable. How else is it meant to get built - should martians drop it from space pre built?? Get real. As for 5 storeys next to tenements this can work too, plenty of good examples in Glasgow.
Sgeezus
#4 Posted by Sgeezus on 20 Nov 2017 at 21:09 PM
#3 - not laughable at all, just completely omitted in the bigger picture. People yelling about few parking spaces where there will be site chaos incomparable with this issue. Thumbs up for the brownfield being restored.
A Local Pleb
#5 Posted by A Local Pleb on 21 Nov 2017 at 12:26 PM
#1 yes I remember it, came across this that may be of interest. Key design approach was 4 storeys to the front and 6 to the rear. Takes me back to my days at the Mac as I recollect Ken McCae was part of the staff when this was built!
https://sites.eca.ed.ac.uk/docomomoiscul/files/2015/01/Ken-MacRae_21st-c-Tenement-Competition_secured.pdf

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