Victoria Road

A new housing development for Govanhill Housing Association providing a total of 42 new homes, including 37 one and two bedroom flats, 3 three bedroom family flats and 2 five bedroom houses, all for social rent.

Located on the corner of Butterbiggins and Victoria Road, one of the main thoroughfares of Glasgow’s Southside, the development revitalises a brownfield site formerly occupied by a petrol station and prior to that, a cinema. The site is one of several major sites of brownfield regeneration in the area, bringing much needed homes and community within a short walk of Govanhill’s abundant amenities and thriving independent shop and cafe scene.

The seven storey corner block provides a strong gateway corner to Govanhill and completes the dense urban tenemental grid of the South Glasgow neighbourhood. As the building steps down in height to four and two storeys it also steps back from the road, reducing in scale in response to surrounding buildings. A two storey mews style lane to the south of the site faces onto the adjacent Category B-listed Samaritans Building. A rear court provides parking for residents of the wheelchair accessible flats alongside a communal garden space and seating area at the rear that can be used by all residents.

All flats and houses comply with ‘Housing for Varying Needs' standards, to accommodate a wide range of users and be adaptable where required to ensure they are suitable homes throughout a persons life. Four of the ground floor main door flats are fully wheelchair accessible and the 7 storey corner block contains 18 flats with lift access suitable for residents with additional mobility needs. All ground and first floor flats have level access showers.

A concise, high quality material palette of facing brick and oxidised copper cladding was chosen in response to the local context and in consultation with the residents' committee. Feature brickwork at the ground floor is influenced by the coursing of the prominent bus depot building which previously occupied the site opposite. Full height windows to the front facades maximise daylight and maintain the proportions of traditional tenements.