One of the most striking things about Glasgow for those of us who aren’t normally urban dwellers is the sheer number of high rise housing developments. They kind of creep up on you, as you only really see them if you can get above the city somehow (as in these which D. took from the library at Glasgow University). They’re just … everywhere! (If you’re very interested, feel free to peruse the High Rise Glasgow photography pool, on Flickr, which is contributed to by photographers all over the city).
With a controversial and checkered past, many of these residential tower blocks have been coming down in recent years, but there are still plans for new tower blocks to go up throughout the city (see Wikipedia). Because they really aren’t skyscrapers as we would know them: the tallest here in Glasgow tops out, with 31 floors, at 90 meters / 295 feet. By contrast, Trump Tower in New York, with 72 floors, comes in at 262 meters / 861 feet (see Emporis.com’s list of the world’s tallest residential buildings). Aside from the fact Trump Tower is miles fancier, the high rises in Glasgow have quite a different character.
The ones closer to the city center … lurk. Most don’t stand out, shouting to be looked at. They simply linger on the edges, chock full of people. The building where we first stayed in Glasgow, at 11 floors, had 33 flats, which meant there were easily 100 people living there, if not more. And that was a small tower. If you take a look at SkyScraperCity.com you’ll see some of the taller of Glasgow’s tower blocks, and get an idea for what they’re all about. Many people have fond memories of growing up in the towers, and the sense of community from having all of your neighbors down one long hall.
The Glasgow high rises aren’t packed in to the same degree that you might expect of a large city. Wandering through downtown Los Angeles, for example, you’ll find yourself in vast canyons between buildings. The same is true of New York. Glasgow’s residential towers tend to be off by themselves, with a bit of green space dividing them. Some are surrounded by parkland (as in these, near Pollock Park).
After our first winter looking down on the city — and feeling the building sway as the seventy mph. winds blew — we opted for a ground floor experience, but there’s something about living above the fray, and having miles of view.
Half of Glasgow… looms over us. But in a good way.
– D & T
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Hmm… you haven’t seen Red Road then?
I spend some of my days in high rises for work, and I have yet to meet anyone who has fond memories. The people I’ve met have a very difficult time living in the high rises. In my experience, it tends to be the disadvantaged and fringed members of society who are placed there.. and they usually have serious crime issues and a lovely abundance of ASBOS.
Props for your optimism.
Interesting post. I’ve never lived higher than the second floor in a two story building. I’m not sure I’d like it much at all. Though I’ll gladly hike up a 13,000ft mountain to overlook the world, I think I much prefer living closer to street level.
nice shots…I see the sun in those photos 🙂
The building swayed? For real? Yikes!
Interesting about their tall buildings.
Love the photos.
Paz