Glasgow is home to some of the very best examples of the different architectural eras Scotland and Britain has seen from the Medieval to the Victorian era - but none are quite as divisive as the Brutalist buildings we have strewn across the city.
Brutalism is very recognisable by with its bold, imposing structures and raw, exposed concrete facades, has long been a divisive architectural style - to put it in simple terms the buildings are all very dreich and grey. Stuff you’d expect to see around the Eastern Bloc during the height of the USSR, not in Springburn in 2024.
Much like marmite, folk seem to love or hate brutalist architecture - and in Glasgow, a city renowned for its rich architectural heritage, it’s no different. However you feel about it, Brutalism has left an indelible, if not controversial, mark on the city.
From towering high-rises to the strange squat ‘mega-structures’, Glasgow boasts a collection of divisive brutalist architecture that has sparked both admiration and criticism.
In this article, we delve into the heart of Scotland’s largest city to explore fifteen of its most noteworthy and hotly debated brutalist structures in Glasgow.
We’ve included a couple of examples just a wee bit outside of Glasgow - as they were far too noteworthy not too mention. Fear not, we know Cumbernauld isn’t Glasgow.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor - what do you think of Glasgow’s brutalist architecture, do you love it or hate it? Let us know in the comments!
1. Anniesland Court
Anniesland Court and the surrounding area certainly stick out from the rest of Glasgow thanks to their Brutalist architecture. The design was meant to echo the structure of a traditional Glasgow Tenement lying on its side - lending to its odd, albeit unique, shape and structure. | Google Maps
2. The Adam Smith building
The Adam Smith building, much like George House, isn’t too egregious on it’s own - but only when you compare it to the rest of the beautiful gothic buildings that the University of Glasgow own in the West End - its grey brutalist roughcast exterior certainly pales in comparison. | Google Maps
3. The Savoy Centre
Possibly the most visible example of brutalism in Glasgow - The Savoy Centre in the city centre is well-loved, even if it is a little bit ugly. | Contributed
4. Hunterian Art Gallery
Hunterian Art Gallery was constructed in 1978 by architects William Whitfield & Partners. It’s somewhat ironic that Glasgow’s oldest museum is held inside an ultra-modernist building - it really gives the place a timeless feel. | University of Glasgow