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Funding sought for £24.7m Paisley culture quarter

October 3 2017

Funding sought for £24.7m Paisley culture quarter
Stallan-Brand Architects, acting on behalf of Paisley Community Trust, have revealed ambitious plans to create a theatre and cinema complex in the heart of the Renfrewshire town as part of efforts to kick-start a ‘cultural and creative quarter’.

Baker Street Paisley will be located on a gap-site behind the former Arnotts department store off Gauze Street, providing a cinema of up to five screens in addition to a 500-seat theatre – together with associated rehearsal rooms, offices, gardens, a bar and restaurant.

Bordering a railway line the architectural solution has been to conceive of a series of individual buildings unified by a translucent covering.

In a statement Stallan-Brand wrote: “The site will be divided north to south in three sections. At the heart of the scheme will be the main building encapsulating all of the main components including theatre and film rooms. The building will be constructed parallel to, but away from the railway line. From the outset the decision was taken to offset the new building from the railway to avoid any nuisance associated with noise or vibration.

“This defined the first public frontage, established the northern edge of the building created a unique promenade space to the north of the building, expected to be vibrant and lively. South of the building will be the opportunity to create a new green space for the town since the formation of Dunn Square in 1894. The Glen Gardens will be formed in honour of the victims of the 1929 Glen Cinema disaster, the garden will feature a reflection pool and a commissioned commemorative statue.

Paisley Community Trust was formed in 2014 to conduct a feasibility study into providing a new theatre with a capacity in excess of 350 seats following a report by Renfrewshire Council identifying a need for such a facility in the town.

A fundraising campaign will now get underway for the £24.7m build which could complete by 2021 should the cash be forthcoming, coinciding with Paisley’s 2021 City of Culture bid.
5,000sq/m of buildings will be created for the cultural quarter
5,000sq/m of buildings will be created for the cultural quarter
At the projects heart will be a flexible, multipurpose performance space
At the projects heart will be a flexible, multipurpose performance space

Stallan-Brand describe the prominent site as 'Paisley's front window'
Stallan-Brand describe the prominent site as 'Paisley's front window'
Travellers on the Paisley to Glasgow rail line will be given a front row seat of the new complex
Travellers on the Paisley to Glasgow rail line will be given a front row seat of the new complex

4 Comments

Graeme McCormick
#1 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 3 Oct 2017 at 12:39 PM
Great proposal! Time that Network Rail renovated the walls and shopfronts under the railway as they look dreadful all along the Sneddon.
Robert Tannahill
#2 Posted by Robert Tannahill on 3 Oct 2017 at 15:11 PM
Aye, right.
Seriously?

Have to laugh.
Philip
#3 Posted by Philip on 3 Oct 2017 at 19:35 PM
Looking first at the images, I had assumed this was a bad renovation of a 70's concrete office building in Minsk or some such Eastern European location....apologies to any Belorussian's reading. Zero joy...just cold, grim and only mildly interesting.
Walt Disney
#4 Posted by Walt Disney on 4 Oct 2017 at 13:46 PM
I won £24.7m on the Euro millions last weekend. Where do I sign up?

I like the picture of the dog catching the carrot.

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