Laurieston Phase One Official Opening

news-thumb3The Laurieston Local Development Strategy (LDS) represents a significant milestone in the process of transformation and regeneration of the central area of Glasgow. The plans have been formulated through an extensive process of consultation and negotiation, and present a shared vision of how residents and stakeholders envisage the future development of the area. The urban design strategy has taken a ‘best practice’ approach, exploring the opportunities to remedy the mistakes of the 1960s that have blighted Laurieston. It seeks to knit back this part of the city into the surrounding neighbourhoods. The Laurieston development aims to transform perceptions and regenerate the housing market in the area, whilst providing a full range of the highest quality affordable housing.

Planning application for Phase 1 submitted May 2011. This calls for construction of 201 homes for social rent on the site of the demolished Stirlingfauld Place tower blocks, construction on these homes started in May 2012. One remaining Norfolk Court block is scheduled for blowdown between 2014-17.

In October 2012 Glasgow City Council approved plans for the second phase of the development, with 600 new homes as well as plans for a hotel, retail outlets, community facilities and green space also approved.  The first part of Phase One of the project is on site and is due to be complete in Spring/Summer 2014, this is for 200 homes for rent.  The second part of Phase One is a rolling programme, beginning in 2014, with further phases following.

Arc. welcomes Andy Scott

news-thumb2An architect with comprehensive experience leading successful design practices in Australia, China, UK, USA and UAE, Andy has delivered projects around the world. His strengths add to the global skill, cultural diversity and understanding at BLP, steering the company through its next exciting stage of development.

Andy has comprehensive experience leading successful design practices in Australia, China, UK, USA and UAE delivering projects around the world; his strengths add to the global skill, cultural diversity and understanding at BLP.

His career encompasses leadership of large complex multi-discipline projects spanning many sectors including, Healthcare, Commercial, Life Sciences, Hospitality, Retail, Urban Planning and Mixed Use developments for both public and private sector clients. Utilising this experience he looks forward to steering BLP through its next exciting stage of development.

He has a passion for collaboration in teams and eliminating waste in the design, procurement and construction process. He has a particular strength in putting together and maintaining blended teams that compliment the client, project and business needs. He also enjoys encouraging development of innovative designs and volunteers his time as a Board member to not for profit business incubators.

Andersson-Wise to Convert Austin School Bus Facility into Marketplace

home-project-img1Texas-based developers GroundFloor Development and Prescott Group are planning Saint Elmo Public Market, a $120 million commercial project housed inside a 1950s former school bus maintenance facility in Austin. Designed by Andersson-Wise Architects , the 210,000-square-foot project will include a 40,000-square-foot marketplace featuring locally owned bars and restaurants, plus two new constructions housing offices for musicians, tech companies, non-profits, and entrepreneurs.
Arthur Andersson, principal at Andersson-Wise Architects, said the idea to repurpose the steel-frame industrial warehouse into a food marketplace came from the developers and was inspired by other food halls, including Pike Place Market in Seattle.
“[The developers] wanted to create a place to fill a niche for young, energetic chefs who have gravitated to Austin in recent years,” Andersson says. “Not everyone can afford to have a $2 million brick-and-mortar restaurant built, so this market is inspired by our city’s food truck tradition, but in a more enclosed setting.”
Andersson says that the repurposed building is a fitting space for the restaurants, since tenants will be more of the mom-and-pop variety and, he jokes, “will not include an Olive Garden.”
“For Austin, a building from the 1950s is considered old,” Andersson says. “The construction of buildings [from that era] are very different and far less generic than buildings are today—just like the restaurants it will house.”
The architect says he plans to keep much of the raw character of the industrial space intact, including its simple steel frame and high transom windows.
“I’ve noticed that buildings in Austin that were built before air-conditioning tend to be remarkable things,” he says. “People were very creative back then to make a space comfortable, so instead of installing a standard ducted-forced air system, we’re including individual A/C units and large fans to circulate the air. We’re also building deep canopies on the east and west sides of the building to help block out the sun at certain times of the day. You get an organic effect that seems natural and connected to the local climate and nature.”