Planning granted for West End Residential Development

We are delighted to see our design for Urban Pulse at Fergus Drive was granted Planning Permission and Conservation Area Consent through the appeal process.

This is a unique site in Glasgow’s iconic West End, where the city gridiron is squeezed by the geological flow of the River Kelvin to create a slender pair of gusset sites, delicately touching Queen Margaret Drive, just north of Queen Margaret Bridge.  It terminates a long east-west city block, originally developed with large villas, subsequently, following the usual Glasgow pattern, of increased density, firstly with 1930’s tenement flats, later 1970’s slab blocks. 

The importance and context of the site required us to respond with a building of scale, a building which would be seen in-the-round, and a building requiring high quality materials reflecting the surrounding buildings.  The scale is taken from the adjacent tenements, with matching stone parapet level and rooftop set-back penthouse, the topography of the surrounding streets setting the building low in relation to the two storey villas to the south.  The three street facades are clad in natural stone with full height windows following vertical Glasgow proportions.  A rooftop penthouse with significant glazing and zinc cladding crowns the roof-scape with generous terraces providing glorious views over to The Botanic Gardens.

Squared bay windows and landscaped front gardens, set the typical “West End” streetscape where views in to the flats bring the internal life of the building on to the street, and the busy life of passers-by creates interest for the residents looking out.