June 7 2021

Tenants have moved into a West of Scotland Housing Association build at Fielden Street in the east end of Glasgow following the transformation of the brownfield site with 52 homes set in landscaped grounds.

Delivered by McTaggart Construction with Anderson Bell + Christie and Erz the development comprises a mix of flats and townhouses.

Addressing the historic Howe Sewing Machine Company Factory across the road is a six-storey flatted block with lift access to ensure easy access for all. Behind this are two rows of three-storey townhouses set back from the street to accommodate generous planting.

A residents courtyard also includes a SUDS rain garden and play space to serve as a focal point.

Finished in combination grey and buff brick the homes incorporate a double-height recess at the corner of Barrowfield Street to anchor the development. 

14 Comments

#1 Posted by Chris on 7 Jun 2021 at 10:28 AM

It’s a bit stark. Those wee trees better grow quickly to inject some life there.

#2 Posted by Roddy_ on 7 Jun 2021 at 14:24 PM

A reasonable attempt at injecting some density and urban scale into a neighbourhood that has been consciously severed from the rest of the city by developments that shrink away from its cardinal street edges; at Feilden Street , London Road and Gallowgate and by Clyde Gateway that smashed its way down the eastern flank. It is a bit like trying to close the stable door after the horse has well and truly bolted.
A sad state of affairs that Barrowfield never be brandished like the best of New Gorbals/ or Laurieston or Maryhill.
Why did we get it so wrong?

#3 Posted by Whispering Andy on 7 Jun 2021 at 19:56 PM

Whisper it... but that is grim...

#4 Posted by David on 7 Jun 2021 at 22:55 PM

Totally disagree with the above comments. Think this is a terrific proposal that has really injected life back into a rather desolate corner of the east end. High quality materials, decent massing and density, a good hard urban edge to Fielden Street and a complimentary addition to the Victorian factory conversion across the street. It seems that worse proposals in Scotland's smaller towns and cities are showered with praise, yet anything in Glasgow is trashed simply for being in a G postcode. Once the planting is established this will be a good model for other social housing projects in Scotland to follow.

#5 Posted by Brian Donnelly on 8 Jun 2021 at 07:48 AM

#4 Perhaps but for now it appears utterly grim and very, very unpleasant. No amount of "hard urban edge" and other archispeak will alter that.

#6 Posted by Pavol on 8 Jun 2021 at 10:23 AM

#5 I think the photos do not do this project justice at all - in person the project looks really good, as #4 noted.

#7 Posted by EM0 on 8 Jun 2021 at 10:28 AM

Drove by these this morning and they are really pleasing when you see them, pictures do not do it justice!

#8 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 8 Jun 2021 at 10:31 AM

East Germany called and want their design vibe back.

Hard / cold / lifeless -- gulag quality dross.
Sucks the life out of its surrounding's.
Lamb dressed up as cold mutton.

#9 Posted by Passing Runner on 8 Jun 2021 at 12:18 PM

I pass this fairly often and must admit the photographs don't really do this project any justice. I find the colour palette a bit bland but beyond that it's a decent build and is miles better than anything surrounding it.

#10 Posted by Queenie on 8 Jun 2021 at 13:32 PM

The flats look fine, but overall the area looks grim because of the lack of natural vegetation. The flats are built far too close to the road, they should have been built further back to allow for a bigger nature strip next the road with trees and bushes etc.

Without a large nature strip it is just grim grim grim tarmac and grey bricks.

#11 Posted by Brian Donnelly on 8 Jun 2021 at 13:46 PM

Goodness you architecture types! What about the good hard urban edge then?

#12 Posted by The Heart of Saturday Night on 8 Jun 2021 at 13:53 PM

It does seem overly spartan in these images, but it seems a solid build.

Perhaps the right block in the wrong place - would work far better in a more dense environment rather than the fairly decrepit location it finds itself in.

#13 Posted by Sick of brick on 21 Nov 2022 at 02:06 AM

When I first walked by I was shocked to see something so grand. The density is broken up nicely, but does it fit in? The south block has a sort of parliament-building vibe with all the GF rectangular colonnades. Weird.

It's better than everything else around Celtic Park, but that is not saying much.

Will it age well, white brick?

Grim urban design.

To Glasweigen architects out there (probably the male contingent)- colour doesn't bite!

#14 Posted by Lisa on 27 Nov 2022 at 03:41 AM

Some passion and elbow grease is behind this. It will stand the test of time and was probably done on a shoestring.

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