Housing at Moore Street Glasgow Offically Opened
Holyrood Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell MSP officially opened the Moore Street housing project built for Molendinar Park Housing Association. Elder and Cannon, Page Park and JM Architects all collaborated with us in realising our master-plan for the site, each practice designing about twenty five flats. Over a hundred of the architectural and housing association fraternities turned out on a cold November morning for the occasion. The minister said - “This innovative new development changes the landscape of the Gallowgate and creates a place where people will be proud to live. These homes are an excellent example of how housing associations can work with local communities to make real and lasting changes.”
Two Projects Nearing Completion
Two educational projects at opposite ends of the country are close to completion. At the University of East London’s Stratford Campus our design for the Education Faculty is the second building of four envisaged in our master-plan for the campus, with the third, a computer library, lecture theatre and general teaching facility due to be completed by March.
At Kirkintilloch, Cumbernauld College and Strathkelvin Development Company have just taken possession of the major extension to our own Adult Learning Centre completed in 2002. The extension continues the spirit of the original design along the Forth/Clyde Canal. Further pictures have been added to the webpage.
Progress Pictures From Site
University of East London Lecture Theatre and Computer Library.
Justice Mill Lane Park Inn Hotel and Office Development; staircores under construction.
Residential Dementia Unit at Stratheden Hospital Fife.
New School at Mosta in Malta has reached first floor level.
Project to be Submitted for Planning Application
A private house in Aberdour is about to be submitted for planning application. The house is a development proposal by our client who owns the site with the intention that the site with planning permission will be available for purchase in the future.
A New Competition
In collaboration with RPP Architects, we have been short-listed for a framework agreement to construct a number of fire stations in the Northern Ireland. Six architect teams have submitted competing designs initially for a project in Omagh, County Tyrone. A decision is expected later this month.
And Two New Commissions
Napier University have returned to us with two new commissions. Firstly, is a feasibility study to look at the transformation of their lecture theatre within the former Morningside Church into a bespoke recital and recording facility. We hope to be able to publish images of this shortly. They have also asked us for a number of feasibility studies of different aspects of the Merchiston Campus.
Recent Press and Lectures
The official opening in November of our social housing at Moore Street, Glasgow received a great deal of attention in the press, including a major article by the Architects’ Journal on 27 November entitled “East End Enclaves”, it said that “Richard Murphy Architects’ innovative master-plan for Moore Street pioneers a new courtyard model for social housing in Glasgow ………” and “Richard Murphy’s scheme combines bold sculptural force with an Arts and Crafts house style”. Further articles appeared in The Times, Scottish Housing News, Scottish Architecture, The Evening Times.
The confirmation of planning approval for Richard’s proposed house at Hart Street also received much coverage in the local press and Prospect Magazine featured it in both its Autumn issue number 132 and Winter issue number 133. The first article was called “Hart and minds” and supported the project before planning consent had been achieved; and the second titled “You can’t keep a good man down”!!
Finally our proposed scheme at the Haymarket was widely publicised - relating to the future of Edinburgh’s world heritage status (which is now secure) and also the fact that the Scottish Executive have called the scheme in for a planning enquiry.
Lectures
This Autumn Richard has lectured on the work of the office at the Mackintosh School in Glasgow, Edinburgh College of Art and Cambridge School of Architecture and on the work of Scarpa at Edinburgh University.
In January 2009 Richard will be lecturing about the practice’s work at Dalhousie University in Halifax Nova Scotia and he has been asked to give a lecture as part of the RIBA Lecture Series for the North East of England. This will take place on 26 February at Newcastle University.
and Finally...
The office celebrated Christmas 2008 with their traditional dinner within the office itself. This involved reorganising the main space at lunchtime and then we all disappeared off to the Filmhouse to watch James Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life” whilst our caterers set up the room! A time-lapse movie compressing twelve hours into three minutes records the day for those who would like to see Richard Murphy Architects at play! As usual Prof Isi Metzstein played Santa and this year we welcomed Ruth Metzstein as Santa's helper!
This movie can be downloaded by following the link Christmas Party Movie
The movie requires QuickTime in order to watch it. The QuickTime download page is http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download
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