Travelling the highways and byways of the
Glasgow district in this year of Architecture and Design 1999, the city's distinct architectural heritage is hopefully something we can all appreciate. In years to come, the Rock DCM-managed Homes for the Future may take its place alongside the buildings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and
Alexander ''Greek'' Thomson, when we next celebrate their achievements.
A multi-disciplinary design and construction management comp-any established in 1993, ROCK DCM's remit is well suited to Homes for the Future. ''The company was originally formed to specifically address the needs of clients commissioning high
quality urban development and public realm projects,'' explained Norrie Innes, ROCK DCM's managing director.
''We achieved this by attracting key personnel with unrivalled talents and experience in both the consulting and construction sides of the industry.''
Winner of the Civic Trust
Centre Vision Award 1997 for the Kilmarnock Town Centre Project, and placed second in the international design competition for Buchanan Street, the company has now become involved in project management. Glasgow City of Architecture and Design 1999 has so far afforded ROCK two opportunities to exercise its expertise.
Following the company's
success with Homes for the Future, the Five Spaces project, aimed at local communities, is transforming five derelict and under-developed sites across the city. ''ROCK is the contracts
manager for four of these five spaces,'' said David McAllister, principal architect and project manager. ''The intention is to
create exciting new public spaces for local community use.''
The inspiration for the #2.8m project has come from a successful public spaces initiative in one of Europe's architectural centres of excellence, Barcelona. In addition to the creation of ''new and innovative'' public spaces in Govanhill, Possilpark, Whiteinch, Saracen Cross and Graham Square, the project will generate local jobs in the landscaping and construction industries.
Following initial training in construction and landscaping skills, 23 Glasgow workers have already been placed at the Five Spaces sites. The project offers Intermediate Labour Market employment for one year, through the New Deal's Environmental Task Force option. This also provides an opportunity for the employees to ultimately showcase their skills and abilities to potential employers - and, of course, to become proactive in enhancing the local community for future generations.
The five sites were identified by community-based housing associations as important to each local area and its residents. ''The
project uses an innovative approach that ensures artists are integrated into the design teams from concept to project compl-etion,'' said McAllister. ''It will result in a physical and cultural legacy to the people of the five areas, by creating attractive public spaces.''
Using a new contract manag-ement approach, ROCK DCM prepares tender packages across the sites for each phase of development. It's a co-ordinating approach that has proved to be both cost saving and eco-friendly - and a far cry from the heyday of the highrise tower block. Unlike the urban planning conceived by the less-than-imaginative town planners of the 60s, this integrated approach forms workable links and associations with consult-ants, artists and a variety of
disciplines.
''These offer ideas and expertise that are all-encompassing and involve every aspect of urban development and urban spatial treatment,'' said Innes. ''The cornerstone of our design policy has always been that the client and the public should demand and receive the best. Neither party should be forced into compromises on
quality, programme and cost.''
In the future, ROCK DCM will turn its attention to Glasgow's waterfront. The company has recently purchased the old
Washington Flour Mills at
Anderston Quay on the north bank of the River Clyde, and looks set to return it to its former - or indeed new - glory.
''The focus of attention is beginning to return to the waterfront,'' said Guy Logan, ROCK DCM's planning consultant. ''It's hoped that in time, this site will also be brought back to life, either in its existing format or in another guise.''
The company has already been approached from parties within Glasgow's design community who share an obvious enthusiasm to regenerate one of the city's forgotten areas. ''There is an exciting opportunity to do something innovative,'' said Innes. ''The opportunity to work with other cons-
ultants reinforces the ethos of ROCK DCM. The broader the scope of the design team, and the more diverse the talents brought to any project, the better.''
While the Homes for the Future project has been likened to New York's Central Park, Glasgow's riverside is seen as having the potential of San Francisco's waterfront. Already, the Clyde has become a focal point for development, with Norman Foster's Armadillo, Atlantic Quay, Pacific Quay and the latest proposals for
Meadowside Quay.
Homes for the Future has so far attracted visitors from Sweden, Germany, America, Japan and Italy, and upwards of 6000 people are expected to visit between July and October this year. Glasgow may have a strong reputation for the quality of its historic architecture, but the 21st century will also see its urban development and renewal as amongst the most
forward-thinking in Europe.
Undoubtedly, ROCK DCM will play a significant role in this process as it builds on the success of its previous and ongoing
projects.
''Homes for the Future was very much a team effort, and not just within ROCK DCM,'' said
McAllister. ''The collaboration between ROCK, five developers, seven renowned architects, masterplanners Page and Park and the City of Glasgow is now regarded as a model for the redevelopment of other important brownfield sites.''
Sa
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article