Today we were in Glasgow, stopped to get a sandwich then ate it outside Kibble Palace - a huge glass house within the botanic gardens which has been recently renovated.
Showing posts with label Glasgow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glasgow. Show all posts
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Sunday, 15 August 2010
13 June 2010 - Glasgow School of Art
Today we headed to the Glasgow School of Art to have a look at their degree show. While it was interesting, there was very little I'd want on my walls. These gnomes were fun as long as you didn't look too closely at them.
I liked this.
Ange liked this.
Lady outside the cloakroom.
I liked this.
Ange liked this.
Lady outside the cloakroom.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
09 May 2010 - Peoples Palace
Today we headed in to Glasgow to see the "Peoples Palace. This was the rather impressive fountain at the front.
Above the entrance was a birds nest - which had rendered the entrance shut. Luckily there was another door only 2 foot to the right allowing you in.
Stone at the front.
When you go through the building you get to the large glasshouse at the back. As well as having all the foliage its got a great cafe - but it is very warm in there.
Sculpture in the glasshouse.
Another view.
"And through the round window"
Billy Connollys boots.
Billy Connolly.
How life was when I was a boy.
The glasshouse from the top.
How the old Buttercup Dairy shops used to look in Glasgow.
The palace from the green.
Above the entrance was a birds nest - which had rendered the entrance shut. Luckily there was another door only 2 foot to the right allowing you in.
Stone at the front.
When you go through the building you get to the large glasshouse at the back. As well as having all the foliage its got a great cafe - but it is very warm in there.
Sculpture in the glasshouse.
Another view.
"And through the round window"
Billy Connollys boots.
Billy Connolly.
How life was when I was a boy.
The glasshouse from the top.
How the old Buttercup Dairy shops used to look in Glasgow.
The palace from the green.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
10 October 2009 - Glasgow
Tonight Ange & I headed in to Glasgow as we were having dinner at Arta. After sitting in traffic on the M8 for what seemed like hours we made it just in time for our reservation. The best bit of the meal was the dessert - arroz con leche - delicious.
After dinner we took a drive down by the Clyde, this is the Clyde Arc or "Squinty Bridge".
This walking bridge further down the Clyde seemed a lot "squintier" to us.
Another view from the banks of the Clyde. You can see the Clyde Navigation Trust building.
After dinner we took a drive down by the Clyde, this is the Clyde Arc or "Squinty Bridge".
This walking bridge further down the Clyde seemed a lot "squintier" to us.
Another view from the banks of the Clyde. You can see the Clyde Navigation Trust building.
Sunday, 20 September 2009
20 September 2009 - Glasgow School of Art
A Sunday tea time treat for us, a tour of the Glasgow School of Art in Glasgow. Another tour courtesy of the Doors Open event.
It won't come as a surprise that the entrance to Glasgow School of Art is appropriately sign posted in true Rennie Mackintosh style.
The main entrance is amazing. Funny though you can't describe it as grand. Nor is it lavish. It's "just right!" I think I like the fact it's not symmetrical like many of the other "pillared" buildings we had visited the previous day. As the front of the building spreads to the side you could be mistaken into thinking either side of the central entrance aspect are symmetrical but they are not. Long iron "rose like" bars rise up from the lower window lintels and if you look closely the "bud" element of the flower increases in age from left to right; starting off as a closed bud form and by the time it is repeated in the right hand side it becomes a more open looking flower. Our guide explained this symbolised an art student starting out and developing into a more mature student as their studies progressed.
We liked the entrance; grand stairs leading to quite a modest black door. The iron archway with a box in the centre also adds that little bit of magic.
Loved the brass door plates!
This is a view to the side of the building. Behind the long windows lie the library. Dark wood fills the library but these windows throw in generous amounts of natural light.
You get an idea of the scale of the windows here.
Unfortunately no photographs are allowed inside the building. They do tours during the year and it is worth a visit believe me. The interior has an indescribable aura and you get this feeling that the place exists to inspire and encourage the students that study within.
It won't come as a surprise that the entrance to Glasgow School of Art is appropriately sign posted in true Rennie Mackintosh style.
The main entrance is amazing. Funny though you can't describe it as grand. Nor is it lavish. It's "just right!" I think I like the fact it's not symmetrical like many of the other "pillared" buildings we had visited the previous day. As the front of the building spreads to the side you could be mistaken into thinking either side of the central entrance aspect are symmetrical but they are not. Long iron "rose like" bars rise up from the lower window lintels and if you look closely the "bud" element of the flower increases in age from left to right; starting off as a closed bud form and by the time it is repeated in the right hand side it becomes a more open looking flower. Our guide explained this symbolised an art student starting out and developing into a more mature student as their studies progressed.
We liked the entrance; grand stairs leading to quite a modest black door. The iron archway with a box in the centre also adds that little bit of magic.
Loved the brass door plates!
This is a view to the side of the building. Behind the long windows lie the library. Dark wood fills the library but these windows throw in generous amounts of natural light.
You get an idea of the scale of the windows here.
Unfortunately no photographs are allowed inside the building. They do tours during the year and it is worth a visit believe me. The interior has an indescribable aura and you get this feeling that the place exists to inspire and encourage the students that study within.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
19 September 2009 - Alexander Stephen & Sons Limited
Our day trip to Glasgow's Door Open event was drawing to a close. Andrew was recalling the story of his grandfather's early career as a draughtsman for a Clyde shipyard. As with many old stories his recollection was somewhat patchy but we knew he worked for Alexander Stephens somewhere in Linthouse. He also boasted about some huge vice his grandfather had added to his personal tool collection when he was at Stephens. Nowadays it's a couple of pens and post it pads but back then they helped themselves to anything..... even if it was nailed down!!!!
Having just visited Fairfields Shipyard offices we asked one of the restorers if he knew where his grandfather may have worked and if the buildings still existed. Well the Alexander Stephen offices still existed and we took a trip down to see them. Unlike the former building though this one has been fully restored and is now office accommodation.
Having just visited Fairfields Shipyard offices we asked one of the restorers if he knew where his grandfather may have worked and if the buildings still existed. Well the Alexander Stephen offices still existed and we took a trip down to see them. Unlike the former building though this one has been fully restored and is now office accommodation.
19 September 2009 - Fairfield Shipyard Offices
I don't know what it is about ports, dockyards and harbours but they hold a strange fascination for me. I'm sure Andrew would add........ and a worrying one!!! In all my travels I've never failed to find "interesting" buildings hanging about beside docks and harbours. You could be forgiven for thinking such locations would inherently lead to bland blocks for buildings which most would consider perfectly acceptable for conducting the business of shipping etc. Alas true gems do exist around these areas and I was hoping Fairfield Shipyard Offices would be just one of these gems.
Arriving at the place you can't help but feel sorry for this building. Wrapped in scaffolding and netting it certainly is a sorry sight. Years of neglect finally promoted this building to the Historical Buildings at Risk Register or the Hospice for pre demolished buildings. Ten years of hard work from a charity have given Fairfields a stay of execution. Some of the charity directors have had a long association with shipbuilding and have it seems worked tirelessly to secure funding for the restoration work. They have their work cut out for them. They aim to turn the place into purpose built office/work space for the community who have suffered redundancy not just from the shipbuilding industry.
Only the ground floor was accessible due to the on-going building works.
But despite its tired state the place still boasted lovely plaster ceilings and wall panelling.
And are these light fittings not just amazing. You'd expect generic strip lighting of that era to be installed here not these wonderful fittings.
And they put in lovely windows too. We liked this one, especially the "links" pattern in the lower section.
There are plenty of examples of work in progress.
The main staircase had been carefully wrapped in protective plyboard but the open atrium at the entrance still had a beautiful plaster ceiling to show off.
Outside the building Andrew couldn't help himself...... he had to take a picture of this weird metal sculpture. I have no idea what is going on with it other than there are a couple of birds sitting on what looks like a giant set of crabs claws! There remains some art I just "cannot get".
Arriving at the place you can't help but feel sorry for this building. Wrapped in scaffolding and netting it certainly is a sorry sight. Years of neglect finally promoted this building to the Historical Buildings at Risk Register or the Hospice for pre demolished buildings. Ten years of hard work from a charity have given Fairfields a stay of execution. Some of the charity directors have had a long association with shipbuilding and have it seems worked tirelessly to secure funding for the restoration work. They have their work cut out for them. They aim to turn the place into purpose built office/work space for the community who have suffered redundancy not just from the shipbuilding industry.
Only the ground floor was accessible due to the on-going building works.
But despite its tired state the place still boasted lovely plaster ceilings and wall panelling.
And are these light fittings not just amazing. You'd expect generic strip lighting of that era to be installed here not these wonderful fittings.
And they put in lovely windows too. We liked this one, especially the "links" pattern in the lower section.
There are plenty of examples of work in progress.
The main staircase had been carefully wrapped in protective plyboard but the open atrium at the entrance still had a beautiful plaster ceiling to show off.
Outside the building Andrew couldn't help himself...... he had to take a picture of this weird metal sculpture. I have no idea what is going on with it other than there are a couple of birds sitting on what looks like a giant set of crabs claws! There remains some art I just "cannot get".
19 September 2009 - Castlemilk Stables
Our visit to Castlemilk Stables was included in our Doors Open touring day. The building was a bit different to the old, lavish city buildings we had visited so far. The original stables lay in a state of disrepair for many years. Then a charity was formed in conjunction with the local community and funding was sought to restore the stables and turn it into a community hub.
The building itself won various awards for the architects Elder and Cannon. Despite having only a basic, ruinous shell to begin with they successfully restored it adding a much needed upper floor and a glass loggia walkway skirting the building providing a walkway round the central courtyard and giving access to the office space within. The building also has excellent eco credentials, heated by a ground source heat system. I want one of those for the cottage one day in the future!!!
This picture is taken from within the courtyard. Hard to imagine how such an expanse of glass could ever work or blend with this Listed Building but it does. The glass extension is NOT visible from the front of the building.
Castlemilk House used to stand close by the stables but it was demolished many years ago. Sadly a lot of the architectural salvage that could have been retrieved from the house wasn't, or it was pilfered, not sure which!!! One item which did survive despite being under water from the over flowing river was an oak fireplace.
The carved scene on the fireplace is that of Joan of Arc at the battle of Orleans. How it managed to survive despite being water logged heaven only knows.
The revamp of the building incorporated many of the features of the original building. Despite being extended a feature is still made of the stone end of the original stable block.
This shows you the additional floorspace that was added. This provides office space for Castlemilk Housing Association. It must be a pleasure to work in such a lovely office.
Another view of the glass loggia from inside the courtyard.
But the front of the stables cleverly hides the newness of the glass extension at the rear. You'd never guess would you?
The building itself won various awards for the architects Elder and Cannon. Despite having only a basic, ruinous shell to begin with they successfully restored it adding a much needed upper floor and a glass loggia walkway skirting the building providing a walkway round the central courtyard and giving access to the office space within. The building also has excellent eco credentials, heated by a ground source heat system. I want one of those for the cottage one day in the future!!!
This picture is taken from within the courtyard. Hard to imagine how such an expanse of glass could ever work or blend with this Listed Building but it does. The glass extension is NOT visible from the front of the building.
Castlemilk House used to stand close by the stables but it was demolished many years ago. Sadly a lot of the architectural salvage that could have been retrieved from the house wasn't, or it was pilfered, not sure which!!! One item which did survive despite being under water from the over flowing river was an oak fireplace.
The carved scene on the fireplace is that of Joan of Arc at the battle of Orleans. How it managed to survive despite being water logged heaven only knows.
The revamp of the building incorporated many of the features of the original building. Despite being extended a feature is still made of the stone end of the original stable block.
This shows you the additional floorspace that was added. This provides office space for Castlemilk Housing Association. It must be a pleasure to work in such a lovely office.
Another view of the glass loggia from inside the courtyard.
But the front of the stables cleverly hides the newness of the glass extension at the rear. You'd never guess would you?
19 September 2009 - The Corinthian
Just down from George Square was another building that caught my eye. It's the Corinthian and a place I've been to several times on my nights out in Glasgow. We strolled over for a quick look.
Once again the main room wasn't designed to disappoint. Another lovely glass, dome ceiling.
Once again the main room wasn't designed to disappoint. Another lovely glass, dome ceiling.
19 September 2009 - Glasgow City Chambers
Glasgow City Chambers proudly sits overlooking George Square. I've walked past the place many times but it never dawned on me that it was the City Chambers. Once again, it was part of the Doors Open annual event. I'd chosen it because of the lavish description of it in the catalogue. Surely no such building would match the grandiose language used to give you an overview of the interior of this building.
Through the front doors and you are instantly greeted by classic, Italianate, marble pillars and detailed mosaic on the floor and multi domed ceilings and archways. Wow! Lavish it said in the brochure and lavish is what you got. William Young was the architect and he must have had a budget that had him laughing all the way to the marble and granite mines of the world!! Because believe me there is so much of the stuff it made you wonder if he was on commission from the Italian marble mafia!
Here are some examples of the mosaic flooring. There truly was so much of it and all with fantastic designs it was hard to chose just one or two for the blog.
This one I have to say is my favourite though.
We were able to stroll down the Councillors chambers / corridor. After climbing the beautiful marble stairway I found this part of the building somewhat too shiny and tacky. Sorry, I am sure it cost an arm and a leg but it didn't look right to me. Then again what do I know? It reminded me more of a rather ostentatious route to the public toilets!
The stairways were plentiful with matching marbled pillars and bannisters. It is very hard to glean the entire scale of this place but this picture taken looking up gives you a good idea.
Andrew liked this room. It was one of the bigger rooms and no doubt housed various events. As you'd expect it was filled with amazing plaster ceilings and mural style paintings. Chandeliers too of course.......... several of them!!!
This is a closer picture of the painting above the stage area.
And another view.
We'd climbed several staircases by this stage and a quick look reminded us of just how many! Great view of the mosaic floors too from up here.
Paintings of all the historical provosts lined the walls of the top floor. My eye was naturally drawn to one in particular, a painting of Provost Pat Lally, done in what I thought looked like the style of the artist Peter Howson.
And right enough guess who the artist was? Peter Howson. Well that was a bonus for me!! Thereafter the other paintings of the provost paled into insignificance!!
This is the view looking up to the round balustrade on the top floor.
We then slowly descended the stairs and back to have a last look at the front entrance. Mosaics featured more on the ceilings here.
The entrance was very dark but looking outwards towards George Square you could only admire the iron works on the external doors. Lovely.
Back out in the fresh air and a few external photos of the City Chambers. The building is lavish not only on the inside but outside too. What a fantastic place to see.
Through the front doors and you are instantly greeted by classic, Italianate, marble pillars and detailed mosaic on the floor and multi domed ceilings and archways. Wow! Lavish it said in the brochure and lavish is what you got. William Young was the architect and he must have had a budget that had him laughing all the way to the marble and granite mines of the world!! Because believe me there is so much of the stuff it made you wonder if he was on commission from the Italian marble mafia!
Here are some examples of the mosaic flooring. There truly was so much of it and all with fantastic designs it was hard to chose just one or two for the blog.
This one I have to say is my favourite though.
We were able to stroll down the Councillors chambers / corridor. After climbing the beautiful marble stairway I found this part of the building somewhat too shiny and tacky. Sorry, I am sure it cost an arm and a leg but it didn't look right to me. Then again what do I know? It reminded me more of a rather ostentatious route to the public toilets!
The stairways were plentiful with matching marbled pillars and bannisters. It is very hard to glean the entire scale of this place but this picture taken looking up gives you a good idea.
Andrew liked this room. It was one of the bigger rooms and no doubt housed various events. As you'd expect it was filled with amazing plaster ceilings and mural style paintings. Chandeliers too of course.......... several of them!!!
This is a closer picture of the painting above the stage area.
And another view.
We'd climbed several staircases by this stage and a quick look reminded us of just how many! Great view of the mosaic floors too from up here.
Paintings of all the historical provosts lined the walls of the top floor. My eye was naturally drawn to one in particular, a painting of Provost Pat Lally, done in what I thought looked like the style of the artist Peter Howson.
And right enough guess who the artist was? Peter Howson. Well that was a bonus for me!! Thereafter the other paintings of the provost paled into insignificance!!
This is the view looking up to the round balustrade on the top floor.
We then slowly descended the stairs and back to have a last look at the front entrance. Mosaics featured more on the ceilings here.
The entrance was very dark but looking outwards towards George Square you could only admire the iron works on the external doors. Lovely.
Back out in the fresh air and a few external photos of the City Chambers. The building is lavish not only on the inside but outside too. What a fantastic place to see.
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