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Trongate 103

As the first phase of a redevelopment programme to create an Arts Quarter on the southern edge of the Merchant City within Glasgow city centre, Trongate 103 has been formed as a new creative hub giving access to linked galleries, a restaurant, exhibition areas and workshops, as well as providing visitors with an introduction to a large cross section of the arts in Glasgow.

The site consisted of 3 B-listed buildings, which needed a substantial quantity of repairwork internally and externally, as well as the upgrading of services prior to any significant internal alterations could begin.

Externally the most important work undertaken to the building fabric was to arrest the decline and restore the impressive upper sandstone facades, as well as the wholesale repair and re-slating of each building’s roof.

At street level, the building has been opened up with the introduction of full height shopfront glazing on all elevations to allow a much more accessible relationship with the streetscape and to encourage public interaction with the building,

Internally, an existing building of the scale of Trongate 103 [six storeys tall and filling an entire city block] has multiple layers and organisational challenges, with the new facility needing to provide a sense of invitation to the public, as well as a legible means of navigating through it to maximise its ease of use.

To overcome this, two atrium style volumes have been introduced into the horseshoe arrangement of the existing buildings – a public double height volume at ground level linking gallery spaces with the entrance concourse, whilst at 2nd Floor a semi public triple height volume opens out from the arts organisations making visible how each interacts with the building.

High level glazing has also been introduced to the double height concourse area at ground level to maximise the amount of natural light within the deep floorplate.

The design and internal layout evolved through a consultation process with the tenant organisations, where each was given its own area in the building, within an overall organisational strategy [access, floor space, linkages etc] and then their operational requirements were discussed in detail. There was an ambition amongst all parties that there should be a sense of communality in the building, whilst respecting the different cultures and requirements of each tenant, with spaces having been left relatively neutral to encourage each tenant organisation to make them their own and develop within them over time.

The biggest influence on the design was the decision to replace the historic close stair circulations with a new centralised circulation core which provided a clear rationale for the design, unified the organisations around a central zone, maximised floor area available to the tenants and created impressive new spaces for socialising and exhibition.

The retained decorative cast-iron columns which structure the building throughout, help bring an expressive character to the interior, enabling large open plan spaces to be formed that can meet the contemporary needs of the arts organisations as well as offer future flexibility.

Trongate 103 will provide a unique home for some of Scotland’s best known artists and creators, including Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks, Transmission, Glasgow Centre for Media Access, the Russian Cultural Centre, Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room, Sharmanka and Project Ability. There is no other facility like this in the UK - and few others in the world - in terms of supporting such a broad range of practice.

At the same time as supporting the careers of professional artists, the building will offer opportunities to members of the public to view, make and learn about art in an environment that values the creativity of all. Trongate 103 will offer classes and training courses for members of the public, curriculum based education programmes for schools, and tailored outreach projects for youth and community groups.

Funded by Glasgow City Council, The National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise and The Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative, Trongate 103 will open to the public on Saturday 12th September 2009 - offering opportunities for the public to participate in, view and buy a wide variety of art.

Project: Trongate 103, Trongate/King St/Parnie St
Architect: Elder & Cannon Architects
Client: Glasgow City Council
Location: Glasgow
Link: www.trongate103.com

Click on images to enlarge

First Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

Fourth Floor

Fifth Floor

Floor Plans: Copyright Elder and Cannon Architects