DILAPIDATED and forgotten, it is one of the few buildings left intact from the famous Empire Exhibition held in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park in 1938.

But now the former South African Pavilion, which lies unused near the Ayrshire coast, faces demolition after 25 years of lying empty.

Developers have submitted an application to demolish the B-listed structure, arguing there are "no economically viable uses" for it.

A recent roof collapse has destroyed the majority of its interior, owner Clowes Developments said, making it unsafe to enter.

It comes more than eight decades after an appeal by The Herald apparently played a role in the remarkable survival of "Africa House".

The Herald: Africa House as it is now. Pic: Charlie GilmourAfrica House as it is now. Pic: Charlie Gilmour

It was built to showcase exports from South Africa during the spectacular Empire Exhibition, which ran from May to December in 1938. 

The international trade fair, which attracted more than 12 million visitors, transformed Bellahouston Park into a modernist cityscape.

More than 100 temporary buildings were erected across 174 acres, including Scotland's first skyscraper, the 300ft-high Tower of Empire – also known as “Tait Tower” after the exhibition's main architect, Thomas S Tait.

Other highlights included a model highland village, a "Scottish Avenue" promoting Scottish trade and a "Dominion Avenue" with pavilions dedicated to countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. 

A contemporary leaflet described the South African Pavilion as "an enlarged version of an early Dutch settler's house", containing "special displays of gold and diamonds" alongside other eye-catching attractions such as scale models of "famous African beauty spots" and ostrich feathers.

Architectural historian Neil Baxter said it was "by far the most popular pavilion in the exhibition with the general public in terms of its external appearance". 

However, he said it was also "the most banal" given the striking modernist architecture on display elsewhere.

The Historic Environment Scotland "statement of special interest" for the building notes that the "Glasgow Herald evidently appealed on behalf of the public for the South African Pavilion at least to be retained after the close of the exhibition".

It was moved to Ardeer in North Ayrshire, where it was rebuilt and used as a staff canteen by the explosives company ICI Nobel.

However, it fell out of use around 1994, and documents submitted to North Ayrshire Council by Clowes Developments detail its deteriorating condition. 

Its supporting statement points out that Africa House was "untypical of and at odds with the architecture of the 1938 Empire Exhibition". 

It also argues that while almost all the buildings were dismantled following the event – including the distinctive Tait Tower – "at least three" survive.

The Palace of Art in Bellahouston Park is the only one that remains on site and is now a sports centre.

Meanwhile, the Palace of Engineering was relocated to Prestwick Airport and the Empire News Cinema was moved to Lochgilphead.

These are all "more representative of Thomas Tait’s architectural objectives", the statement argues.

It also says it is likely Africa House wasn't designed by the Scottish architect James Miller, as is believed, but rather by his son, George.

"While James Miller was a major Scots architect with an international reputation, his son could be considered at best as a minor architect," the statement notes.

Elsewhere, it says alterations have reduced the building's architectural and historic value. 

It says: "Since falling out of use, Africa House has been heavily vandalised, despite continual efforts to keep it secure.

"The recent roof collapse has destroyed the majority of its interior and made the building unsafe to enter, and as a result of extensive damage it is unviable to restore.

"Despite repeated efforts by the applicant and Africa House’s previous owners over the course of 25 years, no commercially viable use has been found for the building."

A number of people have expressed objections to the demolition plans, including local councillors. 

Many raise concerns over the building's decay and the loss to "built heritage" its demolition would represent.

But Mr Baxter is more philosophical. 

He told The Herald the South African Pavilion was "far from the best thing at the Glasgow Empire Exhibition".

He added: "It's a pity it's got to go, but sometimes we have to lose precious works of architecture."

A decision on the application is expected in due course.

Clowes Developments was contacted for comment but did not respond.