St Andrew’s Drive

St Andrew’s Drive Phase 1 forms part of a wider masterplan for the St John’s Quadrant/St Andrew’s Drive in Pollokshields. The site originally housed a large deck access slab block development of 1960’s council housing which rose to 6 storeys. The site sits on the edge of the historic Pollokshields area of Glasgow which is predominantly comprised of large sandstone villas set on generous plots bounded by walls, mature hedging and tree-lined streets/avenues.

Date

2019

Client

Southside Housing Association

Value

£8.9m

The existing 1960’s housing blocks will be demolished in stages in preparation for the development of the masterplan which will be constructed in three phases. Phase 1 will provide 49 dwellings spread over six ‘urban villa’ apartment blocks set within a mature landscape setting. A number of the existing mature trees are to be retained. The aim is to work with the existing trees and integrate them into the proposed designs. These will be complemented by the introduction of new trees and a wider planting scheme which has been designed to create a green park setting for the new tenants.

A mix of accommodation will be provided comprising of 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, larger 4 & 5 bedroom flats, wheelchair accessible apartments and 3 & 4 bedroom main door maisonettes. The flat typologies come together in a variety of ways to create interest and composition which responds to the context and orientation. As a result, the ‘villa’ blocks address different conditions creating a selection of elevational compositions to generate an interesting and layered street frontage.

A scale of between 1 and 4 storeys is proposed which relate back to the scales found in the neighbourhood. The variation in storey height across the blocks is a direct reference back to the adjacent villa massing. Each of the blocks are different in design but are made of brick which echoes the colour palette of the context. We believe this will reinforce a response which proposes an appropriate scale and form. A simple continuous palette of a single brick type brings continuity and harmony across the site and masterplanned area. Accents in brick detailing may occur around doorways. Balconies will be lined in timber while lintels and string courses of precast concrete will emphasise windows and the building proportion. Discreet metal railings will complete the ensemble.

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The Challenge

To replace unsuitable existing 1960’s housing stock which could not be adapted to meet current technical standards in terms of current social housing space requirements, access, adaptability for varying needs and housing mix.

The Solution

The brief gave the opportunity for the removal of the existing blocks enabling a new master plan to be developed comprising of a grouping of ‘urban villas’ set around a series of well-designed and landscaped resident’s gardens that reference the historic grain of Pollokshields.

The Outcome

Phase 1 will create a new residential development within a setting of mature existing trees and landscaped residents gardens providing shared green space to compliment the private terraces/balconies provided to individual dwellings. The development will also provide a mix of tenure and property styles by incorporating maisonettes, apartments and wheelchair accessible dwellings.