O’DONNELL Brown has been appointed by Glasgow City Council to develop a concept design for the ‘meanwhile use’ of the Union Street fire site.
A category-B listed building had previously stood at the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street, before being destroyed in the devastating fire in March. Built in 1851, works to demolish the site of the five-storey building will be fully complete later this month – at which point, the site will be handed over by the council to the owners.
The RIBA Stage 2 concept design will be developed over the next three-four months with the aim of providing a deliverable and phased approach to activating the site over the ‘next four years’ or so while long-term aspirations for the site are developed, the council said. The design will be expected to respond to the site’s heritage setting, the importance of the site, the requirements of the owners and the intensity of pedestrian activity there.
The design proposals could feature commercial and cultural uses or temporary structures and installations. The concept design will be flexible and adaptable during the meanwhile use period, and will look to integrate the site’s edge, ground level, gables, and air space.
There is a shared desire between the council, owners, and other stakeholders to reintroduce activity to the site as soon as possible – and the concept design will enable this, the local authority added. Initial activation of the site is expected later this year, and this may happen in phases.
The council is also considering proposals to transform the area around Central Station, it said.
Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said, “The final and permanent development of the fire site will take time – but neither the council nor the owners are prepared to see such a crucial city centre space lie empty while that takes shape. Finding an appropriate ‘meanwhile’ use for the site, which doesn’t simply mask the damage but actually attracts people back to this part of the Central Station quarter, is going to be vitally important to support its ongoing recovery.
“I’m delighted we have expert, local partners working on that already – with the expectation that we will start to see the site coming back into use this year.”
David Cook, chief executive of Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, added, “It is great to see the meanwhile use proposals progress. Everyone in the city wants to see this site reactivated as soon as possible, including the Union Street Fire Recovery stakeholder group tasked with supporting the council to steer a quick resolution to the challenges of the fire. The long-term solution will inevitably take time due to the complexities and multiple ownerships, so getting life back into this vital part of the city centre before that will be welcomed by all Glaswegians.”
Jennifer O’Donnell, director at O’Donnell Brown, commented, “Every city has places that matter, and Union Street Corner is one of them. We’re looking forward to working with Glasgow City Council, the site owners and the wider design team, to build on work already undertaken, and develop a shared vision for the site – there is an opportunity to develop an approach that reflects the site’s importance within Glasgow’s city centre.
“We believe good stewardship means working collaboratively, building trust and consensus, and making decisions in the short to medium term that support the site’s long-term future. We’re excited to help shape the next chapter of this important part of Glasgow.”
