Glasgow’s Trongate turns a corner with new ‘urban marker’
November 13 2019
Caledon Property Group has shown their hand at Glasgow’s Trongate with proposals to demolish a disused bank in order to allow the formation of a 157 room apart-hotel rising to 12 storeys.
Adjoining the planned Candleriggs Square the project is being overseen by Mosaic Architecture & Design to respect its a-listed neighbour while reinforcing the ‘urban wall’ of the street below.
Formed from a combination of stone cladding, bronze anodised aluminium and a pink granite base course the chosen solution has been conceived as a height ‘marker’ at a prominent junction, stepping down in height in deference to its neighbour.
In their townscape analysis, the architects wrote: “Glasgow is a city well known for striking buildings on prominent corners, therefore, we have reviewed some important James Miller buildings which successfully demonstrate the combination of rhythm, fenestration and material.
“We also reviewed some contemporary responses which adopt a similar approach and the Clarges development in London by Squire and Partners is a good example. This project also demonstrates how datums can be utilised to define the massing at the edge of the city block whilst at the same time adopt a recessive massing at the upper levels to achieve a balance between a successful response to the urban context and a commercially viable development.”
The same team have already completed the refurbishment of 190 Trongate into serviced apartments.
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16 Comments
What’s it supposed to be marking the height of - developer ambition?
Where’s the composition, the order, the detail, the joy? Yes it's better than the current building, but let's not get carried away here, 110 St Vincent Street this is not.
The name of the great man has been referenced here in an attempt to justify an extra half-dozen storeys, no more, no less. The only similarity between this and Millers work is that some of his buildings also occupy corner sites. It would be more pertinent to reference the Cineworld block.
I am much inclined to suggest- generic, banal, out of scale with it’s A listed neighbour, proportionately incorrect and a week continuation of a current (now obsolete) and intensely dull architectural ‘trend’.
Lets be honest Architecture is still a commercial industry so client needs still need to be served, so whilst it would be preferable to see this scheme lose a few storeys it hardly the onlt scheme that can be said for these days, especially given the close proximity of other controversial schemes.
Overall I hope to see this come to fruition because the architect has obviously (as they have stated) taken cognisance of and tried to be sympathetic to the aesthetic of the city. Something we all wish more would do.
"...may aim to elelevate (sic) the design through the ebullient use of a thesaurus."
I see no cause to support this stand-alone design.
About time the city grew in height - this isn't the 17th century.
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