The award-winning Pollok Civic Realm in Glasgow, designed by Archial Architects, has received special recognition from the Civic Trust Awards National Panel as a strong community initiative and for the positive impact it has had on the people it serves.

Russell Baxter of Archial Architects is delighted with this latest recognition for the building which recently won a Royal Institute of British Architects Regional Award.

"The philosophy underlying the building design was to create a civic hub that houses all the various essential aspects of community life under one roof," he said.

"With that in mind, the building seeks to create an all-inclusive space with all its constituent parts spiralling off from a one stop reception desk. The design attempts to create a building typology which members of the public are both familiar and comfortable with, which will in turn encourage them to use the facilities available. There are already indications that this objective has been achieved."

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Built between the newly expanded Pollok Health Centre and the Pollok Leisure Centre, the £6.7 million Pollok Civic Realm is Glasgow's first facility with truly integrated health and social work and leisure facilities. Forming part of the overall Pollok Town Centre regeneration, it houses a café, library, museum, child-care facilities and other specialist social and healthcare related services.

Mr Baxter added: "The idea behind this facility was to create a colonnade providing a route linking the Pollok community with the new transport interchange and Silverburn shopping centre so that people are drawn through the building and, by virtue of this route, encouraged to make use of their civic amenities."

The Civic Trust Awards are given annually to projects that are culturally, socially or economically beneficial, and make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the built environment.

(GK/BMcC)