Renfield Lane Mackintosh

[john-g]

Nice find.

It certainly complements the two adjoining buildings, could have incorporated red sandstone.


The protruding "box" is another gm+ad signature. They are adept at night lighting and only use the best materials.

I noticed they were refurbishing the nightclub in there.

[john-g]

Also, worth pointing out. If architects attempt anything ambitious (aka 110 St Vincent Street) they get shot down by the heritage police. The "glass box" tm is the result.

The irony is noone cares about the quality of new projects unless they happen to adjoin/sprout out of a historic building, ie the only people with the power to delay/alter or prevent new buildings are people like Historic Scotland (the council will approve anything).

Nuts.

These are the people least likely to appreciate contemporary architecture and are a probable cause for lacklustre (at best) buildings springing up.

[crusty_bint]

Well said that man!

[Sir Roger DeLodgerley]

Whilst I don't have any strong views one way or another as to the "glass box" I am filled with ire every time I have to look at the the 60s concrete monstrosity that sits on the corner or Waterloo Street and Hope Street and offends the viewer's eye at the top of the CGI image from the north.

Scran has the original architects sketch:

From that you can probably extrapolate how appealing the "glass box" will look in the flesh.

[AlanM]

The problem with 60's-70's bland boxes is that as an aesthetic builidng material concrete just doesn't stand the test of time. After a few years of exposure to the weather, pigeons and pollution they start to look tired and discoloured.

As far as materials go you'd struggle to find anything as durable as granite and since when it is polished it looks good with glass the 80's-90's glass & granite cladding still look as they were intended several years down the line. I'm not defending the glass box architecture, I think its lazy design, but the blandness generally offends very few people and these projects get permission quite easily, whilst braver more daring designs tend to get shot down before they leave the drawing board.
I think this city would be a much more interesting place if the developers, planners and architects could be more innovative and think outside the (glass) box. We could then have buildings that would ignite peoples passions, whether positive or negative. As it is we are being underwhelmed by apathy which is being fueled by the increasing blandness of our surroundings

Alan

[Bingo Bango]

8O

No way!

I worked in that building for 5 years.... makes me sick looking at that

what about it makes you sick?

[crusty_bint]

Before:


After

[Bingo Bango]

AAAH right - sorry, i thought it was the bonkers building he was talking about!

I can see why Shaftsbury house may make you ill.....

[Sir Roger DeLodgerley]

Bloody hell Crusty, that just makes it even worse. vandals

[crusty_bint]

Fabulous wasn't it? imagine seeing that as you leave Central instead of what we have! The council have such a cheek labelling grafitti art as vandalism!