September 12 2023

The regeneration of Bridgeton Cross in the heart of Glasgow's east end has taken another step forward with the conversion of a former Salvation Army Citadel into office space.

New Olympia House has been created at the hands of ODonnellBrown Architects and Redpath Construction on behalf of Clyde Gateway, who have fashioned 280sq/m of flexible space within the historic structure.

The £1.7m build is defined by a sculptural metal tower which announces the building's presence on the street, complementing a defurbishment strategy for the historic building which emphasises exposed brickwork, trusses and joinery.

Martin McKay, Chief Executive at Clyde Gateway, said: “We bought this iconic building a few years ago because we knew this had great potential to drive investment right into the heart of Bridgeton.

“A key objective of this project was to ensure that we did not lose the charm of the original building. The architects, O’Donnell Brown, and builder, Redpath Construction, have carried out an excellent job whilst updating the space into a modern and energy-efficient workspace."

During the remodelling, the opportunity was taken to introduce new insulation throughout, as well as air source heat pump technology and underfloor heating. Internal bike parking and showers are also provided.

Jennifer O’Donnell, director, O’DonnellBrown, added: “New Olympia House provided an exciting opportunity to repurpose a historic building and further strengthen one of Glasgow’s historic Crosses. The regeneration of Bridgeton Cross over the last decade has been tackled with ambition and care and O’DonnellBrown enjoyed working in this context with the project team and Clyde Gateway to give this local landmark a brighter future and new lease of life.”

Work to transform the hall for its new use began last summer. 

2 Comments

#1 Posted by Worzel on 12 Sep 2023 at 14:52 PM

"showers are also provided to encourage the use of public transport"

Always great to be able delouse after a trip on the bus.

#2 Posted by UR on 12 Sep 2023 at 15:17 PM

It's a clean break with the past! Or for two-wheeled commuters.

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