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Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:18 am
by belaqua
Hi everyone,

I've been reading these forums with fascination since I discovered the site a few weeks ago. You've taught me so much! I've decided to work on an article for the Glasgow Uni newspaper about the city's lost architectural heritage. I'm not originally from Glasgow, and until I started researching the city's history had no idea how much had been lost. I'd bet that many other students, natives and non-natives, are in a similar position.

There's a million angles I could take: a focus on the redevlopment mania of the mid-20th century and the Bruce Report, or a particular architect, e.g. Thompson, but since most readers will be coming to this with no particular specific interest in architecture or Glasgow's history I want to make it a broad-ish article.

So: I've decided to take 5 of Glasgow's greatest now-lost architectural gems and tell their story. It's hard to choose, but I only have so many words.

This could be single buildings, or terraces, or even squares: units of architectural homogenity that have vanished, for whatever reason. (...If the article just happened to flag up the Cooporation/Council's frequently disgusting attitude towards Glasgow's architectural heritage, that might not be a bad thing.)

I have some ideas of my own (The Grand Hotel? Queen's Park Terrace?) but I'd love to read what your top 5 would be; many of you are undoubtedly far better informed than I am!

Thanks in advance for any contributions.

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:34 am
by red_kola

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:33 am
by belaqua
Thanks for both those links.

I did attempt a search (I know there must be a lot of relevant info already in the forums) but it's difficult to know what to search for exactly, and the search feature can be a little idiosyncratic at times...

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:56 am
by red_kola
It certainly is :D .

Just a thought: If you're doing this for the GU Guardian you could perhaps mention the widespread destruction of some of the finer bits of Hillhead to accommodate architectural beauties such as the Body Orr and Adam Smith buildings...

There's a bit of info here:
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=641

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:24 pm
by belaqua
I have certainly considered that. It's of such relevance to GU students that I feel that it's worthy of its own article. My fast-developing obsession with vanished Glasgow is going to require more than one article to accomodate it! Thanks again for the link to the relevant thread.

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:32 pm
by Schiehallion
Queens Park UP Church at the top of Langside Road near to the Queens Park.

Just click on the wee B&W photo to see it in all it's beauty.

http://www.greekthomson.com/Queens%20Park%20Church.htm

You could pick buildings each lost for a different reason eg neglect, fire, redevelopment, M8 building etc.

This church would come into the category 'bombed by the Luftwaffe'!

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:01 pm
by belaqua
Thanks Schiehallion,
I was considering either this or the Caledonia Road Church (and its tenements), which I know hasn't gone completely but is gone in almost every other way. The QP church is a genuinely vanished building, but the Cally Road church makes such a mournful figure among the wasteland and towerblocks that it seems to symbolise everything I'd be trying to get across in the article. I worry for the future of the St Vincent church, for that matter! But let's hope it doesn't have to appear on any 'lost buildings' lists any time soon.

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:17 pm
by mr moto
I would nominate the old christian institute/ymca building seen here . http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSA00596

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:10 pm
by galoot

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:14 pm
by belaqua
It's amazing, the way these exhibition structures were built to stand only for a few years. I suppose the Milennium Dome is a modern example of such thinking, but it just seems madness... to go to all that effort knowing that in a little while you'll dismantle the structure seems frustrating, to say the least.

Re: Your Top 5 Lost Architectural Gems

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:12 pm
by Schiehallion
Another old building I've always had a soft spot for is the UCBS (United Co-operative Baking Society) Bakery on Adelphi Street, Gorbals.

RCAHMS have a few good photos of its' demolition too.

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