The Buchanan Street section of former Glasgow Herald Building. Built in 1879, it was designed by James Sellars. It connects on to the Mitchell Street section, which was built just over a decade later in 1893 and was designed by John Keppie and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
These two sections of the same building show how much architectural materials (blonde vs red sandstone) and styles (Classically-inspired vs Art Nouveau) in the city changed in a few short years towards the end of the 19th Century.
Charles Wilson's Italian Renaissance Palazzo style bank building on Buchanan Street in central Glasgow. Constructed in 1850 for the Royal Bank of Scotland, it connects to the older 1827 Greek style banking building designed by Archibald Elliot directly behind it on Royal Exchange Square.
75 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. Constructed in 1880 in a Free Classical style, it was designed by James Thomson. The attic was added in 1887 by Baird and Thomson. It was built for the glass merchants John and Daniel MacDougall.
The former Liberal Club on Nelson Mandela Place in Glasgow. Designed in an Edwardian Baroque style by A.N. Paterson, it was built in 1908. It later became part of the Royal Academy of Music and the Dramatic Arts along with the neighbouring Athenaeum Theatre on Buchanan street which was featured in a post yesterday.
The former Athenaeum Theatre on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed by Burnet and Campbell and built in 1891, it contained a theatre, a billiard room, a dining room and a gymnasium. It was originally home to the Atheneum School of Music, which later merged with the Glasgow's College of Dramatic Arts to form the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
This is a great bit of sculpture on the pedament above the main entrance to the former Wylie and Lochhead building on Buchanan Street in Glasgow, including a cartouche with the business's monogram on it. It might seem like this is made from the red sandstone used widely across the city, but like the rest of the facade, it is in fact made from terracotta.
The former Wylie and Lochhead building on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed by James Sellars in a Renaissance style, it was built in 1884. At one time, Wylie and Lochhead were the largest cabinet-makers in Scotland.
James Thomson's Italian Renaissance style commercial buildings at 12 and 16 Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Built in the late 1880s, with the one on the left (No. 16) being extended upward in 1904. It was originally home to the clothing wholesalers Brown, Smith and Co, while the lower building on the right (No. 12) was built for the manufacturer Matthew Pettigrew.
The Argyll Arcade in central Glasgow. Developed by James Robertson Reid in the 1820s as Scotland's first indoor shopping arcade, it was modelled on the Parisian Arcades of the late 1700s. It's about 150 metres long and L-shaped, and was designed by John Baird I.
37 Buchanan Street in Glasgow, once home to the wonderfully named Kemp's Shawl Emporium. David Kemp started his business making and selling shawls in 1832 and grew it into a nationally renowned enterprise which soon expanded to become a more general clothing manufacturers producing high quality ladies clothes in the latest fashionable designs from London and Paris.
The entrance to the Argyll Arcade on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Created in 1827, the Argyll Arcade is Scitland's oldest indoor shopping arcade. It's accessed through the Argyll Chambers, an Edwardian Baroque building designed by Colin Menzies and constructed in 1904.
The Grecian style Tower Building on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed by James Sellars, it was built in 1877. Easily overlooked in favour of its grander neighbours, this is a beautiful little building in its own right. I particularly like how the corner tower starts off as octagonal at the base, and finishes as being circular by the time it reaches the top floor.
Argyll Chambers on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed by Colin Menzies in a Edwardian Baroque style, it was built in 1904. As well as containing the entrance to the Argyll Arcade, which opened on 1828, this was also home to a tearoom owned by Stuart Cranston. The brother of Kate Cranston, Glasgow's most famous tearoom entrepenuer, Stuart was the one who created the tearoom concept in the early 1870s.
Dundas House on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed in a Free Style by John A. Campbell, this 1898 elevator building (meaning it had an elevator running up the middle of it) is one of a number of tall, skinny buildings designed to fit the narrow lots on this city centre street. It was originally built for the British Workmen's and General Assurance Company.
The Art Nouveau style Princes Square Peacock on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. It was created by Alan Dawson in the late 1980s as part of the rennovation of the former Prince of Wales building, designed by John Baird and built in1854, which now contains the Princes Square shopping centre.
The former George Hotel on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. Designed by Niel Duff and built in 1907, I love the way a recessed bow window is used to turn the building round the street's slight corner.
In its day, the George Hotel played host to the likes of Stan Laurel, Cary Grant (when he was still Archie Leach) and Joan Crawford.
By the 1990s, its former glory had very much faded, but it found a second life as a film location, including as a double for the London hotel where Renton and his friends make their drug deal in the film Trainspotting.
The interior was eventually demolished and turned into retail units, but its distinctive facade was thankfully retained.
The Cleland Testimonial Building on the corner of Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
Designed by D and J Hamilton, it was built in the 1830s in memory of Dr James Cleland who served as the Superintendent for Public Works for Glasgow between 1814 and 1834.
64 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. In amongst many much grander and much larger buildings on one of the main shopping streets in the city centre is this little, Classical style three-storey building. Built in 1851, it was was designed by John Baird.