Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldozer!

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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Glesga_Steve » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:51 pm

RapidAssistant wrote:Say what you will about the SECC - yes the original 1985 building is not an amazing piece of architecture - BUT it has spearheaded a lot of much needed regeneration in the area (none of the rest of the whole complex would have been built with the first stage), and it provides a huge revenue stream for the Council (who own a 90% stake in the SECC's holding company SEC Ltd.), not to mention all the wealth and employment generated by the surrounding businesses such as the hotels and such like. Ugly yes, but it's a money spinner....and that's what matters to many.

I'm all for regeneration and the benefits it can bring but IMO it's plain to see there must have been a lack of a long term development plan, at least in terms of the aesthetics of the overall site. On an individual basis, I don't think that any of the buildings are really all that bad - as a collective though, they just don't go together. Also, the extremely congested manner they've been constructed in only serves to make the aesthetics of the site worse.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:18 pm

Glesga_Steve wrote:
RapidAssistant wrote:Say what you will about the SECC - yes the original 1985 building is not an amazing piece of architecture - BUT it has spearheaded a lot of much needed regeneration in the area (none of the rest of the whole complex would have been built with the first stage), and it provides a huge revenue stream for the Council (who own a 90% stake in the SECC's holding company SEC Ltd.), not to mention all the wealth and employment generated by the surrounding businesses such as the hotels and such like. Ugly yes, but it's a money spinner....and that's what matters to many.

I'm all for regeneration and the benefits it can bring but IMO it's plain to see there must have been a lack of a long term development plan, at least in terms of the aesthetics of the overall site. On an individual basis, I don't think that any of the buildings are really all that bad - as a collective though, they just don't go together. Also, the extremely congested manner they've been constructed in only serves to make the aesthetics of the site worse.


Yes it's a poorly planned site, but there you go - that's the oft-repeated term "organic growth" in action for you isn't it. If I remember correctly, the original SECC was very much a speculative venture, and no-one really had an idea how it would go - today its a vitally important part of the city's economy. Equally there have probably been immaculately planned schemes which bombed for reasons other than poor architecture - because they were built in the wrong place, at the wrong time, or by the wrong people. Property development can be something of a black art since there are so many variables in action.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:09 am

Bridie wrote:Probably already mentioned but the biggest eyesore is (still) the Glasgow School of Building and Printing.


The trouble is, that building is listed, believe it or not!!! I was in New York a couple of months ago and stood next to the United Nations building and I got a distinct feeling of deja vous when compared to the GSBP tower.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Giblets On Croute » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:09 pm

Don't you mean Glasgow College of Building and Printing?, being pedantic now.

I went there in the eighties and did my ONC in surveying. One of the best lecturers was Bill Irvine (Hazel's Da), was a right wee hard man who no-one wanted to mess with.

Passed George Square last week and the building looks a big bit in need of fixing. Could be that it needs the bulldozer treatment along with, Charing x Premier inn and the MOD building in Argyle Street.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby panthro » Wed May 01, 2013 9:27 am

The whole site of the GRI really needs to be demolished other than the 'Old Building' which needs thoroughly cleaned. The Macewan Building (the one on the left as you enter Casualty from the Parade) is awful. The whole QEB/University Tower (which is getting refurbished at the minute and soon-to-be called the New Lister Building) section of buildings need destroyed. The Cuthebertson building is depressing and needs to go. The old Lister Building is rank and the gable end is held up with steel supports. Coming round onto Castle Street. The Gatehouse building - although old casualty - is pointless and interferes with the view of the main building.

A few gems of the GRI site: The Walton building (Old Nurse's home), the estates building on Wishart Street and of course the majestic old building. The Old Building is not fit for modern healthcare but with a new building on cleared QEB/UTB site, the old building could be used as offices. One poster commented on the ?Adam Smith Building and how you go up to the 4th floor from the 5th. The current hodge podge buildings of the GRI do just that where if you enter Old Building at Ground, walk UP the link corridor you are at the lower ground of the QEB. The maze of corridors even confuses me and I work there. It is dark and depressing even as a staff member.

Maybe once Tennants goes we can get that site, build a new hospital connected via tunnel (addition to the rumoured tunnels to High Street station! ::): ) to the current old building. Build a car park on cleared UTB/QEB that doesn't cost £178.50 a month to park as a staff member. You could even open up some of the Molendinar again! That literally might be a pipe dream!
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Bridie » Wed May 01, 2013 9:54 am

Bridie wrote:In fact that area (Renfrew St/ top Buchanan St) is an architecural mess with the old, the new, the moderately and the gargantuan sized 8O

Good point Bridie :wink: here's an update;
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/nort ... n.20947267

and as one comment says - get rid of that horrible walkover bridge!
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Bridie » Wed May 01, 2013 10:03 am

Giblets On Croute wrote:Don't you mean Glasgow College of Building and Printing?, being pedantic now.

I went there in the eighties and did my ONC in surveying. One of the best lecturers was Bill Irvine (Hazel's Da), was a right wee hard man who no-one wanted to mess with.

Passed George Square last week and the building looks a big bit in need of fixing. Could be that it needs the bulldozer treatment along with, Charing x Premier inn and the MOD building in Argyle Street.


I do mean the College. :D
I was an infrequent visitor to the place in the early 70's. It was a cheap mess both inside and out,failed to impress and it was then only about ten years old. The only good thing is from a certain angle it looks like a giant concrete guitar on the roof.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby HelenD » Wed May 01, 2013 12:30 pm

I don't know about buildings, but the builders across the road could be introduced to a bulldozer (or some other suitably sized plant). They've been at it for ten days with Kango hammers, making a lot of dust and noise. Whatever they're supposed to be doing, there's no sign of it.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Thu May 02, 2013 11:57 am

Bridie wrote:
Giblets On Croute wrote:Don't you mean Glasgow College of Building and Printing?, being pedantic now.

I went there in the eighties and did my ONC in surveying. One of the best lecturers was Bill Irvine (Hazel's Da), was a right wee hard man who no-one wanted to mess with.

Passed George Square last week and the building looks a big bit in need of fixing. Could be that it needs the bulldozer treatment along with, Charing x Premier inn and the MOD building in Argyle Street.


I do mean the College. :D
I was an infrequent visitor to the place in the early 70's. It was a cheap mess both inside and out,failed to impress and it was then only about ten years old. The only good thing is from a certain angle it looks like a giant concrete guitar on the roof.


It was designed by Shanks, Wylie and Underwood - who were responsible also for many of Strathclyde University's campus buildings from the same period - the James Weir, Thomas Graham , Stenhouse are three examples. As well as the College of Commerce (almost a 'squashed' version of the Building and Printing College). So they left quite an imprint on that part of town.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Thu May 02, 2013 12:08 pm

panthro wrote:The whole site of the GRI really needs to be demolished other than the 'Old Building' which needs thoroughly cleaned. The Macewan Building (the one on the left as you enter Casualty from the Parade) is awful. The whole QEB/University Tower (which is getting refurbished at the minute and soon-to-be called the New Lister Building) section of buildings need destroyed. The Cuthebertson building is depressing and needs to go. The old Lister Building is rank and the gable end is held up with steel supports. Coming round onto Castle Street. The Gatehouse building - although old casualty - is pointless and interferes with the view of the main building.

A few gems of the GRI site: The Walton building (Old Nurse's home), the estates building on Wishart Street and of course the majestic old building. The Old Building is not fit for modern healthcare but with a new building on cleared QEB/UTB site, the old building could be used as offices. One poster commented on the ?Adam Smith Building and how you go up to the 4th floor from the 5th. The current hodge podge buildings of the GRI do just that where if you enter Old Building at Ground, walk UP the link corridor you are at the lower ground of the QEB. The maze of corridors even confuses me and I work there. It is dark and depressing even as a staff member.

Maybe once Tennants goes we can get that site, build a new hospital connected via tunnel (addition to the rumoured tunnels to High Street station! ::): ) to the current old building. Build a car park on cleared UTB/QEB that doesn't cost £178.50 a month to park as a staff member. You could even open up some of the Molendinar again! That literally might be a pipe dream!


Sadly it is I'm afraid. Remember, The QEB was a big grand scheme in itself to replace the Old Building which was first mooted in the early 1970s - that's why there are empty spaces on the concrete podium for future "modules" to be added - but to date only one - the Materinity Unit - ever has been. It was the same old story - grand vision, gargantuan plan, then lack of money to see it through to the end with only a small amount actually built. Glasgow is littered with examples - the ring road, the Anderston Centre, the new GRI as I've just said, and sad to say - I can see Collegelands going exactly the same way.

The big problem with big public infrastructure projects has always been because they take so effing long to plan for and fund, is that they are vulnerable to the political climate of the period which changes like the wind. Phase I gets built, the politicians that backed the scheme in the first place are long gone, the new lot cancel the future phases. It happens over and over again and we never seem to learn.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Fat Cat » Thu May 02, 2013 10:15 pm

panthro wrote:The whole site of the GRI really needs to be demolished other than the 'Old Building' which needs thoroughly cleaned. The Macewan Building (the one on the left as you enter Casualty from the Parade) is awful. The whole QEB/University Tower (which is getting refurbished at the minute and soon-to-be called the New Lister Building) section of buildings need destroyed. The Cuthebertson building is depressing and needs to go. The old Lister Building is rank and the gable end is held up with steel supports. Coming round onto Castle Street. The Gatehouse building - although old casualty - is pointless and interferes with the view of the main building.

A few gems of the GRI site: The Walton building (Old Nurse's home), the estates building on Wishart Street and of course the majestic old building. The Old Building is not fit for modern healthcare but with a new building on cleared QEB/UTB site, the old building could be used as offices. One poster commented on the ?Adam Smith Building and how you go up to the 4th floor from the 5th. The current hodge podge buildings of the GRI do just that where if you enter Old Building at Ground, walk UP the link corridor you are at the lower ground of the QEB. The maze of corridors even confuses me and I work there. It is dark and depressing even as a staff member.

Maybe once Tennants goes we can get that site, build a new hospital connected via tunnel (addition to the rumoured tunnels to High Street station! ::): ) to the current old building. Build a car park on cleared UTB/QEB that doesn't cost £178.50 a month to park as a staff member. You could even open up some of the Molendinar again! That literally might be a pipe dream!


Another prisoner of the GRI here and have to agree with all you said. The Lister Building is the utter pits. Working in the Medical Block, it is quite the most unhealthy place to work in. Dust from building works covers work surfaces every single day (promised "deep cleaning" does not materialise...) The old GRI SHOULD be restored to its former glory, the Gatehouse is horrible and should go. The QEB (used to be called Phase 1) is just the most awful building. I wonder what happened to Phase 2? The entrance from the Cathedral Square should be opened up again. It's a fantastic frontage. But I don't think we need worry about the GRI for too much longer, not now the Health Board are building the super dooper new Southern General. Pity it's so inaccessable.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Fri May 03, 2013 8:54 am

Fat Cat wrote:
panthro wrote:The whole site of the GRI really needs to be demolished other than the 'Old Building' which needs thoroughly cleaned. The Macewan Building (the one on the left as you enter Casualty from the Parade) is awful. The whole QEB/University Tower (which is getting refurbished at the minute and soon-to-be called the New Lister Building) section of buildings need destroyed. The Cuthebertson building is depressing and needs to go. The old Lister Building is rank and the gable end is held up with steel supports. Coming round onto Castle Street. The Gatehouse building - although old casualty - is pointless and interferes with the view of the main building.

A few gems of the GRI site: The Walton building (Old Nurse's home), the estates building on Wishart Street and of course the majestic old building. The Old Building is not fit for modern healthcare but with a new building on cleared QEB/UTB site, the old building could be used as offices. One poster commented on the ?Adam Smith Building and how you go up to the 4th floor from the 5th. The current hodge podge buildings of the GRI do just that where if you enter Old Building at Ground, walk UP the link corridor you are at the lower ground of the QEB. The maze of corridors even confuses me and I work there. It is dark and depressing even as a staff member.

Maybe once Tennants goes we can get that site, build a new hospital connected via tunnel (addition to the rumoured tunnels to High Street station! ::): ) to the current old building. Build a car park on cleared UTB/QEB that doesn't cost £178.50 a month to park as a staff member. You could even open up some of the Molendinar again! That literally might be a pipe dream!


Another prisoner of the GRI here and have to agree with all you said. The Lister Building is the utter pits. Working in the Medical Block, it is quite the most unhealthy place to work in. Dust from building works covers work surfaces every single day (promised "deep cleaning" does not materialise...) The old GRI SHOULD be restored to its former glory, the Gatehouse is horrible and should go. The QEB (used to be called Phase 1) is just the most awful building. I wonder what happened to Phase 2? The entrance from the Cathedral Square should be opened up again. It's a fantastic frontage. But I don't think we need worry about the GRI for too much longer, not now the Health Board are building the super dooper new Southern General. Pity it's so inaccessable.


Have they fixed the lifts in the QEB yet? When I was visiting regularly you'd go in at the Wishart St entrance and you were always waiting ages - when the stupid things weren't broken which they always seemed to be.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby RapidAssistant » Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:18 pm

Well my wish has come true - Goldbergs is finally going!!

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/work ... n.21500507

No sign that Selfridges are going to build anything - as the article says, probably just a clean-up job before 2014.
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby rabmania » Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:42 pm

RapidAssistant wrote:Well my wish has come true - Goldbergs is finally going!!

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/work ... n.21500507

No sign that Selfridges are going to build anything - as the article says, probably just a clean-up job before 2014.


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10/01115/DC | Demolition of listed and unlisted buildings within Central Conservation area to allow redevelopment of site for temporary use (10 years) as surface level car park (24 hour operation) with public realm space, hard and soft landscaping, vehicular and pedestrian access and associated works. | Site Bounded By Trongate/Wilson St/Brunswick St/ Candleriggs Glasgow
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Re: Choose 3 buildings you'd like to introduce to a bulldoze

Postby Godsgift » Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:17 am

Not a building but I'd rip up the whole of the M8 where it runs through the city centre. It's a disaster anyway the way it funnels traffic to certain lanes and certain exits but that's not my reason. It is a tear through the heart of the city. Can you see this being allowed in Edinburgh? A motorway through the Royal Mile and the Grass Market? :x
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