Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

George Square, Glasgow, Scotland

This morning, I undertook a photography tour of some interesting aspects of architecture in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

This sandstone-clad infill building is located at Ingram Street. It dates from 1994 and was designed by Page & Park. Note the heavily patinated phosphor-bronze shutters.

178-180 Ingram Street, Glasgow, Scotland

This four-storey block of flats also in Ingram Street is an infill and was given own ‘personality’ owing to inability to blend with adjacent structures. Shiny surface a function of black glazed bricks. Designed by Elder and Cannon Architects 1989.

107 Ingram Street, Glasgow, Scotland

Multi-storey car park at Candleriggs and Albion Street. Designed by the Carl Fisher Sibbald Partnership 1990. Reinforced concrete clad externally in brickwork with string-courses and decorative metal panels. Has affinity with art deco style.

Car Park at Candleriggs and Albion Street, Glasgow

Greyfriars Court at junction of Albion Street, Blackfriars Street and Wall Street.Designed by Cooper Cromar 1998. 1930s style tower on corner  provides a book-end balance.

Greyfriars Court, Albion Street, Glasgow

 Here is a neo-classical frontage in blond sandstone at Cochrane Square. Designed by CZWG 1996 and 1998.

Cochrane Square, Glasgow, Scotland

 Here is the Brunswick Hotel at 106-8 Brunswick Street. Designed by Elder and Cannon Architects 1996. Bridges a difficult style gap between French Renaissance and Baronial style on either sides. An elegant eight storey structure divided vertically into three separate zones.

Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick Street, Glasgow

The above illustrates the wide choice of dynamic architecture in vibrant Glasgow. More illustrations to follow.

Cranes at Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

This afternoon, I was attracted by a unusual concentration of construction cranes on a site near the Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow. After obtaining a few images I walked back to the centre along the interesting waterfront encountering a wide range of interesting constructions en-route.

Images of the cranes can be found immediately above and below.

Cranes at Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Here is a crane from a by-gone age (1932) when Glasgow was very strong on commercial ship building and heavy engineering. Now redundant.

Finnieston Crane, Glasgow, Scotland

Here is the Clyde Arc or ‘Squinty Bridge’ which dates from 2006 and spans the River Clyde at Finnieston.

Squinty Bridge, River Clyde, Glasgow

Here is the Broomielaw-Tradeston Bridge aka ‘Squiggly Bridge’ which is for pedestrians and also spans the River Clyde. Opened 2009.

Squiggly Bridge, River Clyde, Glasgow

Here is Glasgow’s Central Station. This originally dates from 1879 but was re-built 1901-1905.

Inside Central Station, Glasgow, Scotland

Interesting image of a glass fronted building in Oswald Street.

Reflections on Glass-fronted Building, Glasgow

Overall, a short, but interesting journey taking in a diversity of engineering and architecture.

John Knox Monument, Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Today, I escorted two guests on a short architecture themed tour of Glasgow.

We commenced with the famous necropolis near Glasgow Cathedral. Here there are some 50,000 burials dating from around the 1830s onwards. Many of the memorials commemorate the ‘great and good’ of Victorian Glasgow which at the time ranked as the second city of the British Empire and was home to wealthy business people.

Above is an image of the John Knox memorial which dates from 1825 and thus pre-dates the Necropolis. Knox was a 16th century Protestant reformer.

Here is an image of one aspect of the Necropolis.

Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Here is a typically elaborate mausoleum.

Monteath Mausoleum, Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Here is a view of Glasgow’s 13th century Cathedral taken from the Necropolis.

Glasgow Cathedral, Castle Street, Scotland

Next we drove across ther river to the Gorbals to view the interesting architecture (mainly domestic) which has replaced a once very deprived area.

After the Gorbals we drove round to visit Govan, an old shipbuilding area on the Clyde. Here we went to the water’s edge to view the scenery which included the Tall Ship ‘Glenlee’  moored opposite.

Tall Ship, Glenlee, Glasgow

Next we visited Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece, House for an Art Lover.

House for an Art Lover, Glasgow, Scotland

En-route to drop-off at Kelvingrove  we encountered this demolition in process at Govan.

Demolition in progress, Govan, Glasgow

Overall. a good day aided by bright, sunny weather.