The Category B listed Kelvin Hall, was originally built in 1927 as a multi-function exhibition and events venue. The primary aim for the redevelopment was to find a sustainable long-term use for this historic piece of built fabric in the heart of the West End of Glasgow. With its strong cultural identity, we re-imagined many of the spaces to draw out the most exciting elements from the original building.

With four vaulted roofs and ancillary buildings to the West and South; the redevelopment is the first of many phases to refurbish, extend and reuse the Kelvin Hall. Much of the existing building was retained with smaller new build interventions kept to a minimum on the exterior. Old exterior walls were re-imagined as interior features and existing vaults were re-roofed and re-glazed; flooding them with light for the first time in years. All changes allow users to experience and understand the past of the building while experiencing its new modern facilities.

Design

Located directly onto a main thoroughfare and in close proximity to the Riverside Museum, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, University of Glasgow and the Kelvin Walkway, the building acts as an anchor for the surrounding area. It is now widely accepted that public buildings do not succeed in isolation. They need to integrate and contribute to an area, most importantly placing the local community at its heart in order to thrive. To this end the building is a mixed-use cultural hub containing Glasgow Sport, Glasgow Museums, The National Libraries of Scotland and The University of Glasgow.

By working within the footprint of the existing building our main intervention was to create a new fully accessible entrance on Dumbarton Road. This opens up the previously blank façade to the River Kelvin, thus creating a new and invigorated connection to the wider city.

Facilities

Key moments within the building are created to anchor each of the uses. A large foyer containing the reception and café over-looks the River Kelvin. An avenue drives through the centre of the building and it is from here all functions can be accessed. Three light wells along it’s 100 metre length create exhibition and circulation spaces to the upper levels. Niches are carved along the length of the space to create points to sit, exhibit and view the functions of the neighbouring spaces.

To develop a rich design approach, we collaborated with Graven and Stucco to create a number of special spaces throughout the building as well as a graphics package to develop the interior branding for the building.