Basic Site Details

Name: Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplan
Town, district or village: Bellahouston
City or county: Glasgow
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Planned and overseen by Thomas Smith Tait, appointed by the Government.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Exhibition Site  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 319361938  
Item 2 of 3February 1937  Basic scheme and layout
Item 3 of 33 May 1938 Opened 

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 13(Sir) Basil Urwin Spence A19361938Worked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 2 of 13(Sir) William Hardie Kininmonth  A19361938Worked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 3 of 13Alexander Esmé Gordon (or Esmé Gordon) A19361937As assistant to Tait in Burnet, Tait & Lorne
Item 4 of 13Andrew Douglas Bryce A19361938As assistant to Tait in Burnet, Tait & Lorne
Item 5 of 13Gordon Thomas Tait A1936 Worked with his father, Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 6 of 13Jack Antonio Coia A19361938Worked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 7 of 13James Taylor Thomson A19361938In independent practice, working in conjunction with Tait
Item 8 of 13Launcelot Hugh Ross A19361938In independent practice, working in conjunction with Tait (formerly of the Burnet practice)
Item 9 of 13Margaret Brash Brodie (Miss) A19361938As assistant to Tait in Burnet, Tait & Lorne
Item 10 of 13Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners A19361938Worked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 11 of 13Thomas Smith Tait A19361938 
Item 12 of 13Thomas Waller Marwick A19361938Worked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 13 of 13Thomas Armstrong A19371938As draughtsman with Thomas Smith tait

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Army and Royal Air Force Pavilion 
Item 2 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Atlantic Restaurant 
Item 3 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Cascade and Rotunda Shopping Centre 
Item 4 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Empire CinemaCinema re-erected in Lochgilphead.
Item 5 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Episcopal Church 
Item 6 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Garden Club and Lucullus Restaurant 
Item 7 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Palace of ArtThe only surviving building from the Glasgow Empire Exhibition, and the only one designed to be permanent. Converted to a community centre after the Second World War.
Item 8 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Palace of EngineeringEngineers: Sir William Arrol.

Transferred to Prestwick after close of Exhibition.

Photograph of building under construction in Carrick Collection but Architect & Building News gives Launcelot Ross.
Item 9 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Palace of Industries NorthArchitect & Building News 1938 January-June, p169 says it was designed in conjunction with T S Tait.
Item 10 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Peace PavilionIn conjunction with John Patterson
Item 11 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Physical Fitness Pavilion 
Item 12 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, prototype working class flats 
Item 13 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, RC Chapel and Pavilion 
Item 14 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, RSAC, AA and Messrs Beatties Bakeries Ltd Stands 
Item 15 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish Milk Marketing Pavilion 
Item 16 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish Oils and Shellmex Pavilion 
Item 17 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, South African PavilionWas taken down and re-erected at the site of the Nobel Explosives Factory at Ardeer.

Item 18 of 18Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Tower of Empire and Treetops Restaurant 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Baxter, J Neil1938Thomas S Tait and the Glasgow Empire Exhibitionno 4Thirties Society Journal, pp26-3o 
Item 2 of 6Baxter, J Neil1982Thomas Tait and the Glasgow Empire Exhibition, 1938 Unpublished MA Hons dissertation, University of Glasgow 
Item 3 of 6Crampsey, Bob1988The Empire Exhibition of 1938 Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing Company 
Item 4 of 6Kinchin, Perilla and Kinchin, Juliet Glasgow's Great Exhibitions White Cockade Publishing 
Item 5 of 6McKean, Charles1987The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Presspp183-9
Item 6 of 6Williamson, Riches, Higgs1990Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland)  pp581-2

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 17Architect and Building News1936Jul-Dec p358
Item 2 of 17Architect and Building News1938Jan-Jun p99
Item 3 of 17Architects JournalApril 1938   
Item 4 of 17Architects JournalMay 1938   
Item 5 of 17Architects JournalJune 1938   
Item 6 of 17BuilderEarly 1937CLII pp408, 532, 862, 870, 915, 1118, 1215
Item 7 of 17BuilderLate 1937CLIII pp271, 1055, 1104, 1143, 1147
Item 8 of 17BuildingJune 1938   
Item 9 of 17Glasgow Herald6 October 1936   
Item 10 of 17Glasgow Herald13 November 1936   
Item 11 of 17Glasgow Herald10 February 1937   
Item 12 of 17Glasgow Herald28 April 1938  Special number
Item 13 of 17RIAS Quarterly1939SummerRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)pp3-14
Item 14 of 17Scottish Architect and Builders JournalSeptember 1938   
Item 15 of 17Scottish Country LifeMay 1938   
Item 16 of 17SMT MagazineMay 1938   
Item 17 of 17Weekly IllustratedMay 1938   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information on Andrew D Bryce from personal recollections of Esmé Gordon, Margaret Brodie and Harold Cullerne Pratt
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers thomas Armstrong: A no9020 (Combined Box 221)