Glasgow City Council
| website: | http://www.glasgow.gov.uk |
With the largest retail centre outside of London and a thriving tourism industry, Glasgow is Scotland’s largest and most vibrant city.
The first decade of the new millennium has seen the City of Glasgow flourish as a location for, and enabler of, design excellence.
Glasgow has a history of engaging in creative events that present the opportunity to showcase talent in the realm of architecture and design. The European Capital of Culture accolade in 1990, UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999, and the development of the Lighthouse – Scotland’s Centre for Architecture and Design in the City are testimony to this.
Glasgow City Council plays a key role in the promotion of good design. It recognises the importance of maintaining and enhancing the rich architectural heritage of the city, whilst promoting and encouraging design excellence. The City Council maintains an active role in producing development briefs, design competitions and design guidance. Examples of this include the new neighbourhoods at Drumchapel, Garthamlock, Ruchill / Keppoch and Oatlands. These schemes are now coming to fruition and Oatlands has already won many awards. The Clyde Gateway project is another ambitious masterplan designed to maximise opportunities associated with the M74 completion, the East End Regeneration Route, the proposed National Indoor Sports Arena and the Commonwealth Games.
In Glasgow, the Clyde Waterfront currently provides the focus for much development activity. A ten year development plan aims to transform the riverside to create residential, commercial, retail and leisure space, including the new Museum of Transport by the celebrated international architect Zaha Hadid. On the south side of the River Clyde, Pacific Quay is emerging as a new digital media and creative hub with the recent opening of the BBC and SMG studios. The momentum of this regeneration effort looks set to continue with the masterplanning of Tradeston, opposite the highly successful International Financial Services District at the Broomielaw. The City Council also promotes a range of complementary design led activities such as the acclaimed Lighting Strategy and Dressing the City initiative, together with a comprehensive annual arts and cultural programme.
Glasgow’s successful bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games provides a catalyst to accelerate the pace of regeneration in the East End through the construction of the ‘Games Village’. The ‘Games Village’ will be adaptable by design and offer a reusable legacy following completion of the Games. This will complement wider regeneration ambitions for the Clyde Gateway.
With the recent Award of ‘Great Street’ bestowed upon Buchanan Street by the Academy of Urbanism, it is no surprise to learn that Glasgow is endorsed as a world-class destination, a thriving creative and cultural city where design is top of the regeneration agenda. The City of Glasgow is therefore proud to sponsor the Scottish Design Awards 2008.