Welcome to this exploration of the varied architecture of Scotland's two largest cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The site aims to illustrate the diversity of Scottish urban architecture, reflecting the country’s position on the extreme north-western fringes of Europe, open to influences from both the continent and from North America. The contrasting architecture of Scotland’s capital and its principal city of commerce displays their different artistic traditions, influences and affinities which have developed over the centuries.
Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
Many of the buildings featured are within walking distance of the city centres and are generally quite old. I prefer to draw buildings with a bit of history behind them and there is no shortage of these in Scotland, such as the Queen’s official Scottish residence illustrated above.
St George's Tron Church
The centre of Glasgow has been transformed in recent years with the creation of new covered shopping developments such as the St Enoch Centre and Buchanan Galleries, as well as many other showpieces of modern architecture.
Savings Bank of Glasgow
Glasgow's original centre was further east than it is today, and the modern Merchant City contains many buildings of architectural interest.
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow
I have also included some of the many fascinating buildings to be seen outwith the city centre, including the original football stadia at Hampden, Parkhead and Ibrox (above).
Caledonia Road Church, Gorbals
Caledonia Road Church (above) and St Vincent Street Church, both designed by Glasgow's greatest Victorian architect, Alexander "Greek" Thomson (left), are featured in the pages of this web site.
Elsewhere in the south side, my Cathcart Circle Architecture section covers an extensive range of Glasgow suburban landmarks which can be visited from stations on the city's south side railway network which operates from Glasgow Central Station.
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow's other architectural hero, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, has not been forgotten. His early 20th century modernism has left a remarkable legacy to the city in the fields of both architecture and design.
This early morning view shows the tower of
Mackintosh's Glasgow Herald Building alongside the tower of Glasgow Central Station.
The Victorian age was also the age of the railway which led to new methods of mass production, putting Scotland in the forefront in the manufacture of iron and steel products, as shown in Central Station (right). The introduction of modern materials opened up fresh fields of architectural development and led to a revision of popular values and tastes. Victorian imitation of past styles did not need to be accurate as long as it was pleasing to the eye and cost effective.
In the pre-industrial era, buildings which required the skills of trained architects were likely to be financed by the church, wealthy landowners or civic authorities. The creation of new factories and warehouses would not have provided many jobs for architects prior to 1850. William Blake's "dark satanic mills" of the beginning of the century were plain fronted multi-storey buildings created by engineers and wrights using iron columns and beams to meet industry's increasing demand for floorspace.
Dennistoun Library, Glasgow.
One of my favourite architects of the early 20th century, James Robert Rhind, is almost completely unknown outside of architectural circles.
Duke of Wellington with traffic cones, at GOMA Building (below)
Glasgow & Edinburgh Architecture
Victorian Glasgow still survives, with the elegant office blocks filling the streets west of George Square. There are also many churches, with and without congregations, which are now used for a multiplicity of purposes. Many of these buildings are featured in the pages of this site.
A lot of money has been spent on improving and upgrading existing buildings rather than the alternative of demolition and comprehensive redevelopment.
The great variety of architectural styles to be found in the Merchant City is illustrated in a dedicated page.
These and others are shown in a City Tour of architecture throughout the city.
My Alexander Greek Thomson web page contains drawings of his long gone church in Queen's Park and many of his other works in Glasgow's south side, including his own house in Moray Place, Strathbungo.
The novel architectural ideas of Mackintosh have been highlighted throughout this site. I have included drawings of the Glasgow Herald Building, Glasgow School of Art (above), Queen's Cross Church and Scotland Street School.
All of these buildings were the work of the young Mackintosh (right), who designed all of his buildings in Glasgow while in his twenties and thirties, before abandoning architecture completely.
I have added a dedicated Charles Rennie Mackintosh page to bring all these drawings together
In the second half of the century, however, aesthetic considerations came into play and whole façades of cast iron and plate glass were erected and innovative architects like Alexander Thomson became adept at hiding business premises behind classical frontages. A combination of useful plan and pleasing exterior became a requirement for business premises in Glasgow in the late Victorian era. The biggest force for change was the nature of architects' clients, who now included manufactures and merchants who did not share the view of some "old school" architects that the extensive use of iron and glass was mechanical and vulgar.
The development of Glasgow's commercial centre at this time is fully explored in my Victorian Commercial Architecture page, which features lots of fascinating structures such as the Ca'doro Building, left.
Rhind was an exponent of the Baroque style of architecture, which was unusual in Glasgow at the time. He won commissions to design 7 libraries in the city including Dennistoun Library (above). They are illustrated in the Baroque Architecture in Glasgow page of my illustrated exploration of the Carnegie Libraries of Scotland.
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Site created and maintained by Gerry Blaikie
Unauthorised reproduction of any image on this website is not permitted.
All original artwork and text Copyright© G.Blaikie 2002-2008.
