Bearsden Flats - Canniesburn Hospital

NEW LIFE BREATHED INTO ART DECO HOSPITAL CANNIESBURN, GLASGOW Canniesburn, a new residential development on the outskirts of Bearsden in Glasgow, designed by architects, Holmes Partnership, was completed at the end of 2006. The project, which is a joint venture between CALA Homes and Miller with CALA acting as lead developer, is a mix of flats and townhouses with some commercial space. Three B listed buildings have been restored and adapted and a number of new build apartments have been constructed. Canniesburn Hospital was first constructed in the late 1930s for the treatment of tuberculosis. Designed by renowned architect James Miller, the original buildings were light and airy, providing convalescing patients from Glasgow Royal Infirmary a place to recover with lots of fresh air in attractive country surroundings. There are three buildings in the art deco style with white rendered external walls. At the time the design was being considered there were a number of modern existing buildings on the site, some attached to the listed buildings and the large, 5 storey, concrete framed plastic surgery unit building set out on its own. The Plastic Surgery Unit (PSU), which had an extensive ground floor theatre area to the north of the main block was well known due to the high quality of clinical practice. Initial demolition removed all the modern extensions to the listed buildings together with the linking corridors, and also removed the ground floor theatre extension to the PSU and the PSU cladding. The proposals were centred on the three listed buildings which are refurbished into 22, 12 and 22 flats respectively. The opportunity of installing new-build flatted blocks to the south of these buildings was taken to form three distinct courtyard spaces. This set the scene for the creation of a new community set in attractive woodland. The PSU was developed into 68 flats with a two storey penthouse structure with terraces all round, added over the roof. To the open ground at the north of the PSU where the theatre block had been removed, two terraces of townhouses face each other across a courtyard streetscape. There is a children's play area in the wooded landscape to the north of these townhouses. At the front end of the site CALA propose to construct detached houses and there is a three storey office building to the north edge. The existing listed gatehouse is proposed to be converted into a crèche. Project: Canniesburn, Glasgow Architect Holmes Partnership Client: Cala Homes Project completed December 2006 Project value: £27m HOLMES Partnership, 89 Minerva Street, Glasgow G3 8LE, Scotland UK Canniesburn Hospital Flats : Building PR from Holmes Partnership 250107