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ICA join student housing rush with fresh Glasgow plans

August 28 2014

ICA join student housing rush with fresh Glasgow plans
ICA architects have submitted plans for 607 student bedrooms on behalf of Lormor and Land Synergy at Kelvinhaugh Street, Yorkhill, as part of a wider accommodation boom to serve the University of Glasgow.

Built on the site of former warehousing the project is restricted by the presence of an underground rail tunnel which has imposed a 20m buffer which will be given over to amenity space.

Consisting of three separate blocks built above a semi-basement parking space the scheme is intended to deliver a strong street frontage and a skyline presence through two taller seven storey elements.

Built using a modular container system, room, stair and corridor elements will be prefabricated off-site before being assembled in-situ; so providing the strength and flexibility necessary to switch rooms for stair cores, punch connections between adjoining rooms, and remove bathrooms or areas of façade as required.

In their design statement ICA wrote: “All of the blocks have the same architectural language which is classical in nature with strong cornice lines at ground, first and third floors with the upper floors differentiated with a change in colour and cladding detail. The cornice lines break up the vertical panels which sit between the regular grid of windows.

“The footprint of the building takes advantage of the southern facing aspect, by creating south facing external spaces which will be lit both in the winter and the summer. The fingers of the proposal allow a large number of rooms facing east and west to gain light in the morning or evening.”

Each block will be clad in a mixture of lightweight FibreC cladding boards and zinc.
A glazed shared amenity space will connect two of the blocks
A glazed shared amenity space will connect two of the blocks
A semi-private public space will bisect the site
A semi-private public space will bisect the site

An existing sandstone wall will be retained with new access routes punched through
An existing sandstone wall will be retained with new access routes punched through

3 Comments

brian
#1 Posted by brian on 29 Aug 2014 at 09:41 AM
The rail tunnel should not be built on ,not ever.
Art Vandelay
#2 Posted by Art Vandelay on 29 Aug 2014 at 10:26 AM
Don't think it is though - amenity space according to the article.

This actually looks OK, but would prefer it in brick rather than a modular system. The sad thing is that it's yet another student housing project in an area already saturated with it. That said, during term time at least it may generate some activity at this area, Kelvinhaugh St becomes a bit of a dead zone towards the bottom. The age-old problem of how these type of developments handle the times when students are off remains, however.
SJF
#3 Posted by SJF on 29 Aug 2014 at 10:44 AM
The most surprising thing is that they aren't building on the tunnel, I suppose the City Council have no say in the matter!

Though the "architectural language" isn't as bad as some of the proposals that come out these days but could the colour scheme be anymore bland?!?!?

Overall I sure this will be another modern development to live on for many generations to come as a much loved addition to the City.

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