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 Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 2Housing scheme 2,500 dwellings in the form of 10 20-storey slab blocks and low-rise housing, mostly in four to five storey blocks
Item 2 of 2Industrial estate  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 61961 ProposedInitial model by George Bowie's staff proposed point blocks. The as built scheme used slab blocks.
See Tower Block p231
Item 2 of 628 April 1961 Scheme acceptedby 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
Item 3 of 625 August 1961 ProposedPlanning committee asked Crudens Ltd to make provision for industrial estate next to the housing development per Builder p369
Item 4 of 614 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).
Item 5 of 619631974Build/constructionIn phases
Item 6 of 6June 2008 Destruction/demolitionDemolition of blocks at 2-4 and 16-18 Fountainwell Place

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 2Crudens Ltd A19631974 
Item 2 of 2George Bowie A1963(?) 

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Glasgow Corporation 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A1996A History of Scottish Architecture  p563
Item 2 of 4Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp55
Item 3 of 4Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp230; p231 Photograph
Item 4 of 4Williamson, Riches, Higgs1990Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland)  p434

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Builder28 April 1961  p829
Item 2 of 5Builder25 August 1961  'Estates for Industry' p369
Item 3 of 5Evening Times23 June 2008  p1,9 - demolition of blocks
Item 4 of 5InterbuildApril 1963  p11
Item 5 of 5Surveyor23 March 1963  p337-8

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1Strathclyde Regional ArchivesGlasgow Dean of Guild GCA DG: Phase 1A, 1963/456; Phase 1B 1964/428 + 1972/927; Phase 2 1964/427; Phase 2B/3 1967/337