Victoria Infirmary

A collection of bespoke residential forms arranged within the site of the former Victoria Infirmary to create a series of interconnected neighbourhoods.

Few sites in Glasgow are more iconic than the former Victoria Infirmary. There is a tremendous responsibility in directing the narrative for the future development of this landmark site given the deep, embedded relationship that many people across the local community and beyond have had with the site and buildings across a great many decades. A bespoke residential development of 380 dwellings is proposed, arranged in a collection of forms to create a series of interconnected neighbourhoods within the wider Battlefield / Langside community.

  • EXISTING CONDITION
    At present the site accommodates a series of historic buildings that have, over time, seen their character eroded by contemporary extensions and adaptations to floor space meeting on-going NHS demand.

  • SITE CLEARANCE
    All existing buildings on site will be demolished to leave only the Category ‘B’ Listed former Administration block.

  • PERMEABILITY
    With the site clear of the existing buildings there is an opportunity to significantly improve permeability through and across the site to engage the wider Battlefield / Langside community and respond to the contextual urban grain.

  • ZONE 1
    The site is subdivided into ‘character zones’. Zone 1 responds to the topography of Battlefield Road and the visual impact a tiered series of buildings has on approach to the site from the southeast. These buildings are also arranged to allow permeability through the site across Battlefield Road.

  • ZONE 2
    Zone 2 comprises both apartment blocks and townhouses. This is the most level part of the site and presents the opportunity to create a neighbourhood of townhouses defined by apartment blocks to the south and west and the retained green landscape along Langside Road. Four storey townhouses are arranged to take benefit of views across Queen's Park to the north.

  • ZONE 3
    Three additional ‘finger’ blocks are arranged in zone 3 to maximize views for homeowners across the site to the south and Queen's Park to the north with all four façades activated.

  • ZONE 4
    Retirement Living is located within Zone 4 at the intersection of Langside Road and Grange Road, providing residents with ease of access to the park and wider Battlefield community.

  • SEQUENCE OF SPACE
    Central to the proposal is a sequence of spaces that connect pedestrian movement from Battlefield Rest through the site, around the Category B Listed former Administration block and Queen's Park beyond.

There was an aspiration to respond to the iconic 'finger' arrangement of the former Victoria wards.

The masterplan presents a strong urban edge to the south and west boundaries of the site to afford the enclosed public spaces some relief from the surrounding main roads and urban environment. Height is distributed among these peripheral apartment blocks to give prominence to corners and to address the heights of the immediate context, with the threshold blocks formed around a gateway space that draws movement into the site and to Queen’s Park beyond.

An intimate urban community bridges the space between the peripheral urban blocks and Queen’s Park, expressed as townhouses that adhere to a more traditional pitched vernacular with uninterrupted northern aspects to the park. Tangents of trees and green spaces are seemingly extended into the development from the park, meeting and spreading along the central axis of the site to create communal open spaces for play and enjoyment.

Central to the design proposal is the creation of an activated public space, designed to cater both pedestrian and car alike, providing improved connectivity between Battlefield Rest and Queen’s Park. This ‘spine’ creates a series of spaces, cascading down from the retained category B listed building to the gateway urban space created opposite Battlefield Rest.

VIG

Client:

CALA Homes

Status:

Concept Design

Size:

380 Apartments