March 7 2023

Glasgow City Council has progressed its plans for George Square, solidifying concept proposals to include stone paving, an informal play area for children and a sensory garden.

The established design principles will guide the future utility of the public space, which includes an event space and spill-out area for cafes on surrounding streets. Future visitors will be greeted by a possible water feature and raised lawn with the square split between a formal green to the east with events reserved for the western half.

Celia Guerreiro, associate, John McAslan + Partners, said: “As designers, we feel privileged to be involved in such a significant project that will see the transformation of Glasgow's public realm to become a green city accessible to all. Sustainability and response to climate change were strong drivers of our brief, alongside a fundamental commitment to community engagement and dialogue, informing the process of design and involving extended public consultation.”

Intended to complement the ongoing delivery of the Avenues project the work is being pursued in tandem with improvements to John Street, Hanover and Miller Street, a section of North Hanover Street and Cochrane Street to be carried out between 2024 and 2026.

A further wave of improvements will encompass St Vincent Street, George Street, Dundas Street and Dundas Lane by 2028 as part of a 'people first' strategy. 

19 Comments

#1 Posted by Gandalf the Pink on 7 Mar 2023 at 12:20 PM

UR - out of interest, can you remember how many times you have posted a story about the new George Square?

#2 Posted by DJ on 7 Mar 2023 at 12:26 PM

Those shelters along the southern edge of the hard standing area are giving me non league football ground vibes.

#3 Posted by Heidfirst on 7 Mar 2023 at 12:39 PM

I have to say that I am not hating this. I think that it is the best suggestion so far.

#4 Posted by UR on 7 Mar 2023 at 13:33 PM

@1 34! (since 2012), not including tangential projects such as the Avenues and Queen Street Station.
https://www.urbanrealm.com/search/news?search_string=george&submit=search

#5 Posted by David on 7 Mar 2023 at 13:43 PM

Looks great. But still not convinced at all by the large areas of lawn. It is the city's main civic square in the heart of the central core, not someone's back garden.

#6 Posted by CadMonkey on 7 Mar 2023 at 15:30 PM

Where will the Scottish Nationalist Party hold their YES demonstrations?
Oh!…. I guess there is no need for that anymore.

#7 Posted by Johnjo on 7 Mar 2023 at 15:41 PM

GCC should maybe undertake a programme of public education to show people how to dispose of their chewing gum and fag ends. Otherwise, this expensively developed showpiece will end up like the eyesore the western end of Sauchiehall Street so quickly became after reordering there.

#8 Posted by GlasgowSmilesBetter on 7 Mar 2023 at 15:59 PM

Oh look, it looks exactly the same as it did before the last time it was revamped - Great Job GCC.

Perhaps better spending the money cleaning up the City Centre. The place is an absolute embarrassment especially around Central Station and surrounding area

#9 Posted by back to the furore on 7 Mar 2023 at 16:24 PM

I see 1976 is back in vogue. Excellent. As you were.

#10 Posted by Mary Hill on 8 Mar 2023 at 10:28 AM

I really like this. I think the design is very elegant and responds well to the formality of the existing context. I'm less convinced about trying to integrate children's play into a space like this, especially next to a very busy road. But otherwise it looks strong.

#11 Posted by George Rectangle on 8 Mar 2023 at 14:23 PM

I think it's too green- too many trees, and the areas of lawn are too extensive. Would much prefer a great hard-landscape focussed civic space for Glasgow. I sort of hate these proposals.

#12 Posted by GMan on 8 Mar 2023 at 19:19 PM

I think the grass on the Eastern edge has been strategically placed as to allow for the dip in the sun on a summer's evening when the Queen Street end is in the shade. No strange water features, no ego trips, just plain and simple. Mad how much money has been spent and wasted here (never mind anywhere else in UK) since the 1950's to now go and reverse a lot of the stuff that was done at the time..

#13 Posted by OssianLore on 9 Mar 2023 at 12:41 PM

I know this plan has been prepared with a lot of love and care but what. a. mess. What an awful soggy tartan mess. The square has been compromised since the cenotaph was installed, and it will remain so as long as the cenotaph remains there. This design effectively halves the amount of useable space in the square compared to it's pre-1990s form as no-one will be frolicking on any of that grass for at least half the year. And the water feature, pah, when was the last time in past 5 years you saw a working water feature in Glasgow... one of the 5 minute spells the Doulton is switched on/functioning we see every now and then maybe? Just put it back to how it was before the lawns and trees were removed, that's all anyone ever really wanted. Pare this proposal back a bit and you more or lass have that so can we drop the bells, drop the whistles, and drop the, err, kitchen sink so it looks a bit less like Laurieston Linear (oooooooh) Park (aaaaaaaahhhh) and more like something befitting the city's premiere civic space... Could have saved the council tax payer millions if it had just been done before 2014 when we were first asked.

#14 Posted by Blimey on 9 Mar 2023 at 21:05 PM

#13 how dare you! Move the cenotaph? Our fore fathers fought sleep and skived doing national service so you fluffies can sleep safe in your beds. Such disrespect..

#15 Posted by Sven on 10 Mar 2023 at 10:59 AM

I also second the cenotaph being moved. A Better location for it is Cathedral square of the Green. @#14 there are better places for the cenotaph. It is in a very poor place. How nice it would look in a nice garden setting and space for those who want to mourn around a piece or marble.

#16 Posted by F.U.V on 10 Mar 2023 at 11:20 AM

Agree, cenotaph should be moved, location was needlessly politically motivated - proposed immediately in the wake of the 1919 "Battle of George Square" in front of the balcony of city chambers to help quell radical political sentiment and activity. Could with all due respect be anywhere else in city (to make a dedicated space for reflection on this pivotal and horrific time in our shared history,) as suggested rather than rendering the only large formal open space of the major city that Glasgow is, only half useful.

#17 Posted by pooka on 10 Mar 2023 at 13:03 PM

grasp the nettle - move the cenotaph

#18 Posted by Billy on 10 Mar 2023 at 22:28 PM

This looks good. Restoring green space in the city centre and paving rather than tarmac. This should make it a more inviting space to relax when out in the city. Sometimes it's just nice to sit down in an open space when in town shopping. Or for workers in the surrounding area as a break away from workplace at lunchtime. A water feature would be nice too.

#19 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 12 Mar 2023 at 14:03 PM

I wholeheartedly approve of the green spaces. Apart from the ecological benefits and the welcome softness in the city, they are a great spot to sit on a hot day and people-watch; all too often the benches are full.

The downsides are maintenance, and removal of a location for protests; actually they may not be downsides.

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