Student accommodation specialist Alumno has applied to Glasgow City Council for permission to build a new development on St George’s Road in the city’s Woodlands district
The development will provide much-needed student accommodation in Glasgow, which has the third largest student population in the UK. Glasgow has five universities and over 76,000 students.
Half of Glasgow’s students live in privately rented accommodation, which adds pressure on local housing.
The shortage of student accommodation is set to continue
According to a recent report, as of September 2022, approximately 43% of universities faced a shortage of accommodation.
It is anticipated that by September 2023, around 26% of institutions will face similar shortages. 30% of universities have expressed concern over a shortfall at the beginning of the next admissions cycle.
The six-storey building will house 262 students and contain single ensuite bedrooms with shared kitchens and self-sufficient studio rooms. The accommodation will also include accessible rooms for those with additional needs.
There will also be a number of communal spaces, including a private dining room, lounge, and common study space on the fifth floor. The project will also provide opportunities for local businesses as commercial units on the site will be restored. External landscaping will also take place to improve the surrounding areas.
“In providing much-needed high-quality accommodation for Glasgow students, our overarching intention is to respect the diverse community of Woodlands and St Georges Cross and reconnect and repair the missing corner of St George’s Road while reinforcing the character of the area and re-introducing the frontages at street level,” said Alumno managing director David Campbell.
Sustainability will be a priority for Alumno
The student accommodation will be designed by Carson & Partners, who have worked with Alumno on several accommodation projects across Scotland, including Hyndland House in Glasgow. placemaking and sustainability have been at the forefront of the buildings design and Alumno’s proposal.
The building will be constructed in the Woodlands Conservation Area, a historic area that the council is looking to protect. Alumno’s proposal has taken this into account, ensuring the scale, design and landscaping of the development will minimise any adverse impact on the area.
“The plan, elevation and massing treatments follow a rational approach in response to existing datums, materiality, proportion and local architectural characteristics, “ said Iain Carson of Carson & Partners.
“The extruded celebration of the corner incorporating a rooftop communal living room and articulation of the facade along Grant Street are both familiar local west-end terrace features. At ground level, a transparent dual aspect reception will physically and visually connect one of two landscaped courtyards to the street while its adjoining retail space will once again help to reanimate and reinstate vibrancy to this significant part of St Georges Road,” he concluded.
Placemaking is an important element of all Alumno’s projects, which have provided workspaces for graduates and startups. They also have a track record of creating public art spaces and restoring historic buildings.
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