Glasgow Tower Blocks

[Glagow]

Originally Posted by Bingo Bango

ok, so wood and render are out due to problems weathering - fair enough i think render to be suitable only in very small areas, and timber is what it is - a material that requires care and refurb after a period of time (like most materials actually)

but come on, discount glass because it gets dirty or something? are you serious?

The thing is Bingo wood and render need refurbed about three weeks after completion due to the climate in Glasgow. Most architects do not know how to use or understand certain materials so I think it is fair to critise here.

The Victorians knew stone was best for Glasgow, true not a lot of others were, but they never covered their buildings in wood ethere. Hence the reason most architecture built in the last 70-80 years is an eye sore and needs knocked down.

[Mr. B]

What do you make of these?








THIS IS MY FAVOURITE IMAGE EVER!!!

[schemie]

"but come on, discount glass because it gets dirty or something? are you serious?"

glass looks fantastic when its clean. not so when it gets manky. i like most glass buildings like some of the stuff in London but theres a few buildings like St Enoch wheres theres been next to no effort to keep the glass clean and the fresh look that comes with using glass is spoilt slightly

already commented your pics on the British thread Mr B. I like where did you dig the Gallowgate one up from?

[Mr. B]

On here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/pastglasgow/

[Mr. B]

Are these blocks being reclad? Just the past few days ive noticed thingys going up the sides of them and now there is a dull yellow-ish colour on parts of them, similar colour of the stuff they put on before adding the colour on the 3 blocks currently being reclad near parkhead.

[crusty_bint]

yup, which is a shame really as these four are in better condition than the majority of blocks in Glasgow, have a really nice setting too. Almost a success I might go as far as to say.

[Mr. B]

Thanks for helping me for that i shall post some more pictures!

Gorbals/Hutchie:




Castlemilk:

Townhead:

Cambuslang:

Maryhill:


Gallowgate:

Kennishead:

And just for Schemie:

[schemie]

mmmm... red road.... i tell you if they come down its a good opportunity wasted. Think of how you could transform those blocks into a cluster of shiny skyscrapers so they would be almost as good to live in as they are to look at erm from a distance they're not just buildings, they are a icons of their time and if Anniesland Court is listed at least one of Red Road should be too. just out of interest, why the hell is Anniesland Court listed anyway? because its 'Art Deco' and in the West End?



looks different, slightly higher quality finish, but doesnt look that great to me... gimme these any day!:



And by the way, Mr B, the pic you posted as 'Toryglen (?)' is the Glenavon Road blocks in Maryhill. And I never noticed that the Hutchy blocks had such a quality refurb. The finish looks superb close up. Is Sandiefield Road (the silver/black Area D blocks) being refurbed any time soon? they look shit but as far as I know they have a long term future so they should be getting done up.

[Mr. B]

Tits!, i'm so stupid! I dont know if the Sandiefield road blocks are going to be refurbed but I think there is a very strong possibility due to the huge rise in prices of property in the Gorbals/Hutchie area. I also believe that Stirlingfauld and Norfolk Courts could be refurbed to a high standard, alas it is not to be.

Red Road takes my breath away every time i see them, they are just so bloody big and look perfect (from far away). I beleive they should be refurbed and saved from demolition due to the great pottential of them. Imagine them all one day in the future all cleaned up and refurbed and being an even better icon of Glasgow than they already are.

[schemie]

oh stop please! i'll be dreaming all night about a mini Hong kong in the east end of Glasgow... doesnt help that ive just eaten cheese

its good to know im not the only one with a place in their heart for 'em big ol' chunks of concrete that make up 2/3 of GHA's stock. posh fannys that they are will end up knocking them all down in a few decades though. cant have big in-your-face symbols of the existence of a working class! politics gets on my tits sometimes. In 50 years time we will all be living in semi detached Barratt estates. The futures boring...

[Mr. B]

Originally Posted by schemie

oh stop please! i'll be dreaming all night about a mini Hong kong in the east end of Glasgow... doesnt help that ive just eaten cheese

its good to know im not the only one with a place in their heart for 'em big ol' chunks of concrete that make up 2/3 of GHA's stock. posh fannys that they are will end up knocking them all down in a few decades though. cant have big in-your-face symbols of the existence of a working class! politics gets on my tits sometimes. In 50 years time we will all be living in semi detached Barratt estates. The futures boring...

oh you'll be having dreams a plenty about Red Road.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! not Barratt Estates. Bring back the age of the Tower Block.

[Bingo Bango]

Originally Posted by schemie

glass looks fantastic when its clean. not so when it gets manky. i like most glass buildings like some of the stuff in London but theres a few buildings like St Enoch wheres theres been next to no effort to keep the glass clean and the fresh look that comes with using glass is spoilt slightly

yes, i agree. This is however a completely different issue. it is one of maintenance. we need bulidings with glass, and they need to be cleaned regularly as does everything that is outside.

glasgow has a particular problem with maintenance and legacy. look at the streetscape improvements made years ago to buchanan street, sauchiehall street, argyle street etc. beautiful stonework used and decent furniture in places all ruined through a lack of decent maintenance (cleaning, other than the fucking stupid crusade against chewing gum, repairs to a decent/matching standard etc, additions being made in the same manner - have you seen the new things just plonked down on the street, no finishes, loose rubble etc - pure pish)

i agree that render is an unsuitable material to be using in large areas. I also agree that timber can be difficult to use properly. that is not to say it cant be used or shouldnt be used - the 'climate-in-glasgow-means-only-stone-can be-used' argument is false. as long as it is properly specified, installed and maintained then it can be a fine material.

[schemie]

A fairly awesome collection of photies...

Maryhill:






Royston:










Springburn:

(under construction)






Balornock:



Sighthill:

(under construction 1963)










Red Road:







Balgrayhill:
(under construction)







Anderston:



Gorbals:

[Butterfield]

A nice selection schemie.

These fellas look extraordinarily tall! I don't recognise them although people have mentioned the name Balornock before.

I suppose they look really tall because they're really quite narrow.

[Butterfield]

What is that at the bottom of this block? Is it a block of flats?!


And there's *almost* nothing better than a picture of a tower block taken from another tower block, with other
tower blocks in the background. It's almost perverse...

[schemie]

man, i knew you'd get all excited about that one...

And yep, that is a tenement block of flats from the 1950s at the foot of the Red Road block (although Im still not sure if it is part of Red Road or not dammit...). That one is obviously in the process of demolition.

The tall ones are Edgefauld Road and Croftbank Street. 26 storeys tall. They will be the tallest high rises left in Glasgow after Gallowate and Red Road are pulled down and they are about to be refurbed I like them a lot the way they are though. You've probably heard of Balornock because of Red Road (its at the edge of Balornock/Barmulloch) rather than those two. They lead a fairly quiet life. Not much information or photos going about of them at all.

[schemie]

More of the same -









Drygate



Sighthill



Springburn





Anyone got a recent pics of the Westercommon Rd block in Possilpark, Knightswood blocks or Kingsway Court in Scotstoun/Yoker? That would be a great help.

[loose canon]

of course but can only find wester common ones just now

and now for the close up

[schemie]

Fantastic! Thats exactly what I was looking for.

[Mr. B]

Just some more pics i've found.