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HFD beef up speculative Glasgow office build

November 25 2016

HFD beef up speculative Glasgow office build
Sheppard Robson have drawn up revised plans for a beefed-up office development at 177 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, second phase of HFD Property Group’s Bothwell Exchange.

Offering 260,000sq/ft of floorspace arranged over 12 floors the scheme has been increased in scope from an earlier submission of a 210,000sq/ft scheme over ten levels that enjoys conditional consent.

The architects approach has been to proportion the façade within a series of ‘boxes’ of varying height and width in an attempt to ‘reflect the more organic asymmetrical split of a city block.’

Each of these glazed elements will be visually separated by a stone pier with recessed areas used to signify entrances on both Bothwell and Pitt Street’s in addition to recessed corners highlighting a potential ground floor leisure use.

A roof level running track will remain as before offering a recreation space for tenants and views across the city skyline.

10 Comments

PeterG
#1 Posted by PeterG on 25 Nov 2016 at 11:30 AM
'Organic asymmetrical split of a city block'...wtf?
I've had a good look and I certainly can't see and boxes of varying height and width....get a grip, we all know the reason for the design...HF want to max out the scheme, or else, and you need to pull together some verbal diarrhoea for the planners....
Poor quality, greedy commercial architecture.
George
#2 Posted by George on 25 Nov 2016 at 13:19 PM
I think the looks of this, certainly a lot better looking than the Scottish Power building, and great to see some more Grade A office development which Glasgow is crying out for currently.
Charlie_
#3 Posted by Charlie_ on 25 Nov 2016 at 14:25 PM
This was recently named in a three site shortlist for hmrcs new office along with atlantic square which is about 270k sq/f and Tradeston waterfront which is at the pre-Ap stage; presumably this revision is to meet the Spec
Sam
#4 Posted by Sam on 25 Nov 2016 at 15:18 PM
'Hahaha! Brexit uncertainty has stopped all speculative builds in Glasgow, which means they'll let us do WHATEVER WE WANT!!' (insert mustache twirling here)
there is a spectre...
#5 Posted by there is a spectre... on 26 Nov 2016 at 09:58 AM
The architects approach -

'Right, people, lissen up, we want to max the **** out of this baby - I mean, really push the corporate envelope on this one, make it devoid of any semblance that is left of our pathetic humanity, and get on those CGI's right away. This wants to be a wrap by, let's say - 2.30? Is that clear? Let's do it!
Billy
#6 Posted by Billy on 26 Nov 2016 at 11:37 AM
Hopefully one day I am going to look at a new proposed development and say wow! I am not holding my breath. Is this really the best they can come up with?
Philip
#7 Posted by Philip on 27 Nov 2016 at 12:20 PM
@george...if there is such demand then why does it have to be such architectural dross...its not good enough to be happy that there are new offices in the pipeline. Surely the demand for grade A could influence some worthy architectural responses. The two HF blocks are stripped back, bland, badly detailed boxes that maximise the footprint and offer little other than perhaps shelter, power and bog facilities.
wonky
#8 Posted by wonky on 28 Nov 2016 at 10:24 AM
If its been beefed up...then it must be corned beef! Maybe this proposal could be inspiration for a new phrase in the industry: "We've cornbeefed it, baby!"
Alistair
#9 Posted by Alistair on 28 Nov 2016 at 22:16 PM
It looks like they have tried to conceal the asymmetry of it with this image. The front elevation gives a better idea of what it will look like. The architect talks about trying to create the feel of a Glasgow block, what with the varying dimensions of the panels. So basically, trying to make it look as if it was designed by different people under different design briefs?

Sorry if this makes me sound like a fuddy duddy but it should be more symmetrical. The corporate atmosphere on Bothwell Street calls for a more assuring design.
A Local Pleb
#10 Posted by A Local Pleb on 29 Nov 2016 at 13:00 PM
Yet more bland anonymous commercial rubbish! Why do developers and their architects foist this upon us, why do the planners support this? Suck the soul of the city why don't you...I'm disappointed with much of what I see these days on UR.

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