James McCune Smith Learning & Teaching Hub by HLM Architects

The design of the James McCune Smith Learning hub has been inspired and driven by user consultation at every level, and provides state of the art learning and teaching facilities for over 2,500 students in a highly sustainably BREEAM Excellent facility.

Fronting onto University Avenue, the new hub creates a signature gateway building that sits at the heart of a conservation area on a site that is pivotal in the connectivity between the existing Gilmorehill campus and the Western campus expansion. Rust-coloured metal panel cladding inspired by Glasgow’s maritime heritage and shipbuilding encapsulates the building.

A simple palette of materials was selected (concrete, rust coloured metal panels, timber, plaster, glass) creating a ‘Scandi Industrial’ vibe including a beautiful screen wall of external fins. Colour accents were taken from the Glasgow sky and seen in Lachlan Goudie’s shipyard paintings. Furniture wfrom Steelcase and Orangebox was selected, creating a playful and exciting learning landscape, with fitted and loose furniture using birch ply, timber, metal and fabrics in complementary colours to the large orange drums and vertical fins.