Work to start on ‘missing piece’ at Glasgow’s Park Circus

SML Park Quadrant CGI (2)Detailed plans for the completion of the missing link at Glasgow’s Park Circus have been released to coincide with work getting underway on 98 apartments next month.

Park Quadrant Residences will see Expresso Property complete the original 19th century masterplan of concentric rings conceived by Charles Wilson by infilling the final plot of land with new flats.

Due to a lack of funding the plans were halted before they were finished and the area has since been undeveloped.

Showcasing 98 apartments and penthouses, the development has been thoughtfully designed to match the height and aesthetic of the original plans for the area with its historic high-quality architecture often heralded as the finest example of Victorian townscape in the city. Natural sandstone will be used to complement the palette of materials used within Park Circus, while the roof re-invents the grand architecture of nearby Park Terrace.



SML Park Quadrant CGI (3)

In 1851, architect Charles Wilson developed proposals for a public park, which was to become Kelvingrove Park, along with a masterplan for a concentric pattern of streets at Woodland Hill. In 1854, the plan was changed to include the inner ring of terraces, Park Circus, along with the outer ring of Park Terrace and Park Quadrant.

In Peter Reed’s book, ‘Glasgow: The Forming of the City’ which traces the city’s architectural history from its merchant origins, there is an analogy of Park Circus as having two distinct characters; “An introverted inner ring, Park Circus, with a subtle, quiet, but grand, elevation treatment, with no dominant hierarchy or expressed roofscape, and a flamboyant, extravert outer ring, Park Terrace and Park Quadrant, with an exciting variety, richness of features, and strong hierarchy through extruded townhouses, bay window positioning, and a dramatic roofscape enriched with expressed French style attic roofs. This outer personality is what has driven our approach to skyline and roofscape, completing the ‘crown’ of Park District from all directions.”

The majority of the Park Quadrant portion of the dramatic outer ring was never developed. This was mainly due to funding and people moving further west towards Dowanhill and Hyndland.



Park Quadrant as it stands today
Park Quadrant as it stands today

Gordon Coster, director at Expresso Property Park Quadrant Limited, said the new one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, duplex and penthouses will combine classic and contemporary interior design.

He added: “We are very proud to be completing this missing piece in Glasgow’s history with the development of Park Quadrant Residences. These new homes will be some of the most luxurious in the country and our aim is that the development will be something that the whole community will be proud of.”

David Gardner, architect at Holmes Miller, said: “The Park Quadrant Residences have been designed to celebrate being part of the completed masterplan, whilst having their own confident architectural language. The design creates a subtle contemporary reinterpretation of various key elements including the window proportions, stonework detail and feature entrances. We believe Park Quadrant Residences are a fitting tribute to Charles Wilson’s original plans and a crowning jewel in the Park area.”



Works will begin towards the end of June.


Share icon
Share this article: