Modern but not new buildings

[escotregen]

Bruce you have really made me think twice and in a less negative light about the old College of Commerce building. I see what you mean about the scale of this as opposed to the brutal scale of the big College of Building and Printing one across from it - and that I think has prejudiced my earlier view of both of them.
I'm still not sure about Closet's wee 'copper building' but looking at it now has brought home to me how there is a run of quirky wee frontages along that elevation on Buchanan Street - and Closet if you read this; do you have any suggestions for outstanding multi storey or towers in Glasgow? You can have five free points to start with, given thgat this is a testing one

[JamesMc]

This is certainly a favourite of mine too. Here's a wee bit from The Gorbals Historical Guide and Heritage Walk book by Ronald Smith:

"...the Art Deco Cumbrae House, clad with glazed tiles and featuring metal panels between the first and second floor windows. Originally designed by Launcelot H. Ross, it was built in 1937-8 as showrooms and offices for Cowen's ideal Trading Stamp Company(Glasgow) Ltd and restored as modern office space in 1988 by the Houston Bryce Partnership."

Do folks have a favourite 'modern but not new building' i.e. post WW1?
One of my current favourites is Cumbrae House in Bridge Street. It's between the Old Custom Quay buildings at the corner of Carlton Place and before Oxford Street. I see it every time I travel on the train into Central station. I think its a pristine but elegant 'moderne' piece. Unusual use of light coloured wall tiles with a curves effect, and just something that's really works with the colours used. I guess that the architect made use of some sort of geometrical style of method; the subtly different elements are so much in proportion. It's also clearly been well taken care of. Does anyone know anything about it?

[Closet Classicist]

Bruce

and the Bank of Scotland Building opposite GoMA. Competition winning design by T.P. Bennett & Sons (1972) - ever heard of them?
I just think it' a good example of how something can be thoroughly modern (or at least of it's time) and still sit very well in it's context. I particularly like the composition of horizontal & vertical elements towards the corner of Miller St and the way the detailing of the precast units kind of reflects the detailing of the back of the Post Office Building. Also they've been quite successful at matching the colour of the adjacent buildings

I too will admit to have having had a wee soft spot for the TB Bennett Bank of Scotland Building until I saw what it replaced: David Hamilton's masterful British Linen Bank Headquarters with its much maligned (but I still liked it) roof top extension by Salmon and Gillespie. Sob sob sob wail nooooo! What was Glasgow thinking!!!


With regards to High rise escotregen. Hmmm well, I like the row of five at Kennishead, the Broomhill hill top lot, the white Maryhill ones, and the Hutchesontown E blocks all of which are of better than average architecture. A lot of people praise Anniesland Court but sorry it does nothing for me and I can't figure out why its 'A' listed as in my opinion its definitely second rate. If you want to see a genuinely good example of this type of high rise have a look at Erno Goldfinger's (yes, James Fleming stole the name) Trellick Tower in London. Much better, more original and in a different league by comparison.

Cheers

CC

[Closet Classicist]

not quite sure what happened here...

Think I pressed the wrong button.

[escotregen]

JamesMc thanks for the info on Cumbrae House, it was just the kind of thing I was looking for. I'm going to make a point of writing to Houston Bryce Partnership (assuming they are still around) acknowledging this, because the boys done well here.
Closet, the white towers in Maryhill you refer to, are these the Tracobas high up on Westercommon? I had some 'interesting' times working in the 'challenging social environment' in these blocks with the old SSHA in the 1980s. It's also interesting that most of the examples you refer to were designed, or designed and built, by the technical services division of the old SSHA... the break-up of the expertise of the SSHA and its loss to Scotland was a matter of the sacrificial sacred cow being slaughtered to satisfy the Labour local authorities - and to distract them from the fact that when 'their lot' got back into central government, they continued the emasculation of local government powers

[Closet Classicist]

Yes indeed escotregen they are by the SSHA for their Wynford development I believe. Just like their crisp image though it is somewhat worse for ways nowadays and heaven knows how they thought these things would be maintained! Several of the others are by RMJM I think. Interesting to hear your comments there. Sounds very much the same as what happened with the GLC's architects department which was also known for its technical expertise and skill.

[escotregen]

Your confirmation that it was the Wyndford (or the Barracks) you were referring to clears that up for me. The Tracoba blocks I was thinking of are pure 1960s/70s awfullness. During my time there with the SSHA huge funds were being poured into remedying the built-in defects; a far as I know, massive expenditure is still going on.
Good commited architects from the SSHA days are still about, people like Les Brown, Andy Burrel, Tom Reilly etc. What's more it was a frenetic social life - at least one engineer died in harness! and my Kenny Everett stunt at the 1987 Christmas Office party in the Anderston centre earned me new-found respect (I should make it clear my stunt had nothing to do with people in harnesses )

[donjuan]

The Beresford Hotel aka (ICI Building) in Sauchiehall street, is one of my favourite buildings in Glasgow. Opening in 1938, described as Glasgow's first skyscraper, it was the tallest building erected in Glasgow between the wars. To see photo's of this building goto
http://www.theglasgowstory.com/searchq.php?PHPSESSID=342ef7967af48a7a48541a44b81b3a85&qsearch=beresford+hotel&iore=1

[escotregen]

donjuan the Beresford was bound to come up as somebody's favourite in this thread. That little part of Glasgow seems to have attracted a range of 1930s stuff. I can't remember the names but in one of the streets running off Sauchiehal Street at the Beresford there is a nearby pub and a cafe that are pure 1903s take on art deco. It has of course had a varied life, I think hotel then student residence

[Sharon]

The Variety Bar ? I used to quite like a drink in there back in the day when i went out round those parts of town.

[escotregen]

Yes, 'The Variety' that's the one I was thinking of

[mooshimooshisan]

The cafe you are thinking of is the Kings Cafe, next to the art deco Variety bar. They do a great King Rib supper!

[escotregen]

Yes, the Kings Cafe. I'll sample your recommendation next time I'm in that part of town and hungry

[viceroy]

The Variety Bar wasn't originally Art Deco of course. It was just refurbished in that particular style a number of years ago. It hasn't been a pub all that long either. It was originally a tailor's shop [Carswells I think], then it became the Kings Arms, in the early 1970's it was renamed The Norsk and subsequently became the Variety Bar maybe about 12 years ago.

[escotregen]

Viceroy I 'm surprised at that. If it was done over in art deco remake only 12 years ago it was a very competant job - all that near-tacky authenticity.