Located in one of Glasgow's most important conservation areas, and surrounded by mainly Category A buildings, the £40m Queen Street project will provide a stunning new addition to the cityscape.
The challenge was to deliver a building that would not only respect and enhance the historic surroundings but also redefine the boundaries for office design in Glasgow in terms of design, functionality, innovation, energy-efficiency and use of materials. The aim is to achieve an 'Excellent' BREEAM rating for the building's environmental design and specification.
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Holmes claims it has delivered a "challenging but sensitive design-solution", using minimalist detailing and clean lines. The first eight storeys are stone-clad with randomly positioned window openings that respond to the texture of the adjoining Victorian buildings in a modern interpretative language. The impression of solidity is contrasted with a glazed upper section that extends above the lower stone structure with a double-façade made up of full height frameless panels in shades of clear, green and blue.
The rigorous design principles underpinning the project have been informed by key City design and development policies and planning guidance, in particular the Glasgow City Plan which requires that "developments should conform to the plan's design principles, policies and standards; to produce well-designed layouts of an appropriate scale and massing of buildings and landscaping using high quality materials suited to their surroundings."
A decision on the planning application is expected later in the year
(NS/KMcA)
