Challenges can be traced into possibilities.
That’s what Winy Maas, founder of Rotterdam architecture firm MVRDV, stated in an article he wrote this month in the Herald Scotland.
“Bold urban planning,” he wrote, “can only work when it demonstrates a genuine understanding of the communities who live in the towns concerned.” That was Maas’s aim in writing a detailed explanation of his team’s work to transform downtown Glasgow into a “more livable, attractive, competitive and sustainable center.”
The Glasgow City Council has called upon MVRDV and Glasgow-based firm Austin-Smith:Lord to regenerate the international city’s urban core as part of a new strategy called (Y)our City Centre. As one of the country’s primary epicenters for economic business, downtown Glasgow lacks the liveliness and attractive qualities that make it an after-hours mainstay for the 135,000 people who use the district on a daily basis.
Both teams are working directly with Glaswegians to formulate an urban plan that caters to residents’ needs — downtown currently houses just under 28,000 people — and addresses issues that have plagued the city for decades. “At its zenith,” said Maas, “the city was a global economic powerhouse; the shooting star of its period, the ‘Dubai’ of the 19th century.” The city council aims to bring Glasgow back to prosperity.
(Y)our City Centre is a multilayered approach to invigorate the 400-hectare downtown area, starting with four distinct zones just outside of the main city center: Broomielaw, Blythswood, St Enoch and Central. The vision includes upgraded infrastructure, the creation of green spaces, the addition of new residential areas and the rebirth of vacant buildings.
Though Glasgow has bolstered the city’s tourism and financial sector in recent years, many urban challenges still remain, such as car-ridden streetscapes, inefficient use of public space and a high number of emissions being filtered into the air.
One of the major changes listed in the plan reimagines the city-circling M8 Motorway to allow for better circulation from the suburbs to the city center. Other goals include revitalizing the underused and inaccessible waterfront along the River Clyde and enlivening the city’s oldest street, High Street. Pedestrian and bicycle paths will also be added throughout the city to enhance connectivity.
These detailed maps show what MVRDV and Austin-Smith:Lord will do for each section of the plan. While ambitious, this small-to-large-scale series of investments in the city could constitute a huge step toward a bigger and better Glasgow.
MVRDV is well-known for its radical projects across Europe — including its native city of Rotterdam, which is of a similar population and size to Glasgow — which aim to maximize the health and vitality of its citizens. Maas outlines their architecture and urban design contributions in the Herald Scotland to showcase the firm’s passion and qualifications for taking on the city of Glasgow.
Glaswegians can get involved with planning and learn more about the many projects coming up at GlasgowCityCentreStrategy.com.
Images via MVRDV