We are working in collaboration with conservation architect Fiona Sinclair to support Garnethill Multicultural Centre to retrofit and extend their existing, historic building. The original building, which sits within the Glasgow Central Conservation Area, dates from 1825 when it was built as tenement flats. However, it was purchased by the The Archdiocese of Glasgow in the 1930’s and significantly altered to form a church hall, albeit, with accommodation for the caretaker retained in the attic space. Garnethill Multicultural Centre purchased the building in 2020, with support from Scottish Land Fund, after a number of years developing their community activies from the building as tenants.

We conducted numerous consultations with a mix of local community members and the board of trustees to develop a precise brief for the works. These engagement sessions were also crucial in developing a strategy for eventually making the centre financially self-sustaining. Alongside the more empirical studies we also asked the question; ‘what does multicultural mean?’ which gleaned many and often opposing views which we sought to synthesise through our design work.

The initial studies looked to build on the centres importance within a diverse community by increasing it’s floor plate and expanding the variety of spaces on offer to encourage a wider range of activities, and overlap of groups. The works look to make the building fully accessible alongside a de-furbishment strategy for areas with years of different remedial works overlaid. Internal wall insulation is proposed along with air source heat pumps to greatly reduce the carbon emissions and energy costs for the building.

A significant rear extension adds a passenger lift and escape stair while the works to the front of the building introduce a new compliant, external stair and ramp for access to the basement level. The main, double height hall is retained with a new bar and mezzanine floor above overlooking the hall. The attic, which still has the wallpaper and features from the 1930s caretaker apartment, is to be opened up and used as rentable space which can support the community outreach activity of the Centre.