August 18 2021

Elder & Cannon Architects have filed plans for 78 double-banked apartments at Wishart Street, Glasgow, between the Necropolis and the Royal Infirmary.

Sharing a common entrance that doubles as a social hub for residents the seven-storey block has been designed for private rent for key workers, benefitting from a central location as well as an amenity roof garden.

Occupying vacant ground the homes will stand on a raised plinth above the fall in street level from the north to accommodate a level courtyard opening onto the Necropolis while elevating the ground floor above the street.

In a statement, the practice observed: "This plinth marries with the footpath levels at the north end where it also allows for a more generous arrival area under recessed cover as part of a sequence of approach at the principal entrance. It then extends along the public footpath as a raised planter at the base of the street elevation which is activated by the fully glazed wall of the social meeting space, and at the south end between the gable and the cemetery railing becomes a courtyard wall and discreet gate to the courtyard steps behind.

"Encouraged by the plan diagram of a tightly arranged run of relatively small floor space flats, including a high proportion of single aspects, the building form can be kept clean and spare in its massing."

All high-level flats will be provided with cantilevered colour galvanised steel balconies projecting in a repeating pattern from a facade of dark facing brick. 

6 Comments

#1 Posted by Whispering Andy on 18 Aug 2021 at 13:25 PM

Whisper it.....but that is awful!

#2 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 19 Aug 2021 at 09:57 AM

Filing cabinet design vibe for some of the balconies -- I wish they hadn't bothered.

#3 Posted by modernish on 19 Aug 2021 at 10:38 AM

These renders seem to bear to no relationship to the planning drawings, which note black brick rather than the concrete/Zumthor vibe being suggested here.
Poor design.

#4 Posted by Roddy_ on 19 Aug 2021 at 14:28 PM

Can anyone explain how wheelchair users access the building? ...E+C?
The ‘plinth marries with the footpath levels’ but only at the very top end of the entry platform and not wide enough to accommodate step free passage for a chair to the front door. Ground floor planning drawings indicate 3 steps up to ‘plinth level’ in front of the column but they appear to be missing on elevation.
If the slanted wall was pulled back made and the angle made shallower then there would be space to accommodate chairs. There appears to be an accessible toilet in the lobby – why not an accessible entrance… or am I missing something?

#5 Posted by BemusedCitizen on 20 Aug 2021 at 18:27 PM

Never mind the lack of accessibility to this development - there is a serious lack of any sense of a fire strategy. This building will be more than 18m in height so will require a sprinkler system; neither of the escape stairwells provide a final exit door to the outdoor environment; there is no fire fighting lobby and on any of the floor levels; the corridors are too long to permit safe escape ... need I go on. It's fair to say that when a scheme is submitted to planning it needn't be fully resolved, however it should at least have the basics covered first.

#6 Posted by Ax2 on 22 Aug 2021 at 12:27 PM

I feel sorry for the poor souls renting the ground level flats - living in permanent darkness with curtains closed is not fun. Why can't the ground floor be elevated at least half-story like anywhere in civilized world to provide residents at least some privacy from passers by? Compared to this mess, the Bellgrove Hotel is a fantastic place to live.

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