Basic Site Details Name: | Sighthill Housing | City or county: | Glasgow | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | This vast development, containing nearly 2,500 dwellings, comprises ten 20-storey slab blocks, arranged in a north-south Zeilenbau form to maximise sunlight and daylight penetration, surrounded by low-rise housing, mostly in four/five-storey blocks. Constructed on the reclaimed 'soda wastes' (polluted chemical dumping-grounds) of the St Rollox Chemical Works, stretching south from Sighthill Cemetry, the housing site was developed as a 'package-deal' design and build contract by Crudens in phases between 1963 and 1974. Separately designed new buildings in the area include three primary schools, a Catholic church, and local shopping centre (see separate records). The site was landscaped c1987 by Jas Cunning, Cunningham & Associates.
| Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Housing scheme | | 2,500 dwellings in the form of 10 20-storey slab blocks and low-rise housing, mostly in four to five storey blocks | | Industrial estate | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1961 | | Proposed | Initial model by George Bowie's staff proposed point blocks. The as built scheme used slab blocks. See Tower Block p231 | | 28 April 1961 | | Scheme accepted | by Glasgow Corp Housing Committee for £15 project; 67 acres known locally as the 'Soda Waste' (a site formerly used as a chemical trade dump) to be cleaned up and redeveloped as a town to house 12,000 persons, mostly housed in 25-storey housing blocks; community centres, schools, churches and parking facilities for 1,000 cars and an industrial estate are also proposed per Builder p829 | | 25 August 1961 | | Proposed | Planning committee asked Crudens Ltd to make provision for industrial estate next to the housing development per Builder p369 | | 14 April 1961 | | | Report submitted by City Architect with instructions for: approximately 3,120 houses of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 apartments; sites for two primary schools and two nursery schools and a community centre; shops; lock-up garages and covered and open car stances; sites for churches; recreational area; and roads. Instructions approved (Housing Committee Minutes 14/4/1961 No. 26). | | 1963 | 1974 | Build/construction | In phases | | June 2008 | | Destruction/demolition | Demolition of blocks at 2-4 and 16-18 Fountainwell Place |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe 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. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Crudens Ltd | | A | 1963 | 1974 | | | George Bowie | | A | 1963 | (?) | |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Glasgow Corporation | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | p563 | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p55 | | Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan | 1994 | Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | | Yale University Press: New Haven and London | p230; p231 Photograph | | Williamson, Riches, Higgs | 1990 | Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland) | | | p434 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 28 April 1961 | | | p829 | | Builder | 25 August 1961 | | | 'Estates for Industry' p369 | | Evening Times | 23 June 2008 | | | p1,9 - demolition of blocks | | Interbuild | April 1963 | | | p11 | | Surveyor | 23 March 1963 | | | p337-8 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Strathclyde Regional Archives | Glasgow Dean of Guild | | GCA DG: Phase 1A, 1963/456; Phase 1B 1964/428 + 1972/927; Phase 2 1964/427; Phase 2B/3 1967/337 |
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