Student housing plan to revitalise Glasgow office tower

Architects have submitted plans to transform an abandoned office tower in Glasgow city centre into modern accommodation for hundreds of students.

3DReid said the application for Pegasus House will revitalise the redundant and almost entirely vacant office building.

The completed project for Student Land and Development Ltd would offer 213 bedroom spaces within the existing volume in addition to an amenity space on top of the revamped podium.

In a design statement within the planning application, 3DReid said: “This application for a student accommodation development provides an opportunity to revitalise a redundant and almost entirely vacant office building within Glasgow City Centre. The removal of the existing 1960-1970’s concrete panel façade and its replacement with a solid sandstone colour pre-cast concrete frame to the base that steps down the hill creates a clean, modern finish that also references the traditional and historical design and materiality of the surrounding buildings.

“The replacement upper façade panels to the tower element take reference from the existing panel form and from it create a modern alternative that will revitalise the current design. The spatial planning of the proposal arranges the amenity facilities along the street level at ground floor along West George Street and lower ground floor along Holland Street to provide ‘shop-front’ style activation, something which the existing offices at these areas lack at present.

“The introduction of a roof garden as external amenity space will be of a huge benefit to the students by providing much needed dedicated external space within the heart of Glasgow City Centre providing recreation and leisure opportunities as well as encouraging community cohesion. This roof garden also supports Glasgow open space strategy aim of delivering a high quality environment.

“In short, we believe this development opportunity will not only benefit a vacant building but also the local area and Glasgow as a whole.”