You are here:

News

Giant 'Phoenix Flowers' in bloom near the Forth & Clyde Canal

29th Jun 2010

Fifty, giant pink, orange and yellow flowers are finally in bloom on the edge of Glasgow’s city centre.

The vibrant, towering aluminium flowers, which range in height between five and eight metres and which have two metre wide petals are part of the award winning transformation of a run down underpass in the Cowcaddens area of Glasgow.

They form part of an important and colourful gateway between the city centre and the new developing creative and cultural neighbourhood on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal at Speirs Locks and are just one element of the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership's regeneration plans for the key hubs on the Glasgow branch of the Forth & Clyde Canal, which also include Maryhill.

The seven month 'Phoenix Flowers' project was formally opened by Stewart Stevenson MSP, The Scottish Government’s Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 28 June 2010.

The £1.5 million project, which was recently awarded a Scottish Design Award in the 'Future Buildings & Spaces' category, was commissioned by the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership and was designed by 7N Architects and rankinfraser landscape architecture.

Flowers are major talking point

Steve Dunlop, Director Scotland for British Waterways said: "The 'Phoenix Flowers' project has already become a major talking point with Glaswegians and creates new interest in an area of Glasgow that has been neglected for many years. They will create a vibrant link from the new and blossoming centre for creative and cultural industries at Speirs Locks to the city centre and we hope in time, they will continue through Speirs Locks and along the canalside."

A long and far reaching consultation exercise helped to inform the award winning masterplan for Speirs Locks and during that process it was made clear that access should be improved between the canal side and the city centre. Over the past few years extensive structural landscaping has been undertaken around the Cowcaddens underground, with the Phoenix Flowers forming the latest phase in this ongoing project.

Spiers Lock to be important cultural centre

The idea of growing and developing Speirs Locks into an important cultural centre was another priority of the masterplan and already the vision is becoming a reality. Scottish Opera purpose-built their production studios in the area in 1997 and The Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama, The National Theatre of Scotland, Glasgow Academy Musical Theatre Arts (GAMTA), and the Tollhouse Studio now all have premises on the banks of the canal.

Building on the foundation that will be put in place by culture and creativity, not to mention the existing residential and business community already well established at Speirs Wharf, the Canal Partnership is looking at opportunities to bring forward significant amounts of new housing, studios and workshops, and hotel development.

The Canal Partnership, which was formed in 2004 and is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, UK waterside regeneration specialists ISIS and British Waterways, is seeking to create a fantastic waterside environment that will bring benefits to those living and working in Glasgow, whilst providing an awe inspiring setting for visitors to the city.

Last updated: 01/07/2010

We'd love to hear your comments on this article, but please ensure they meet our guidelines. We reserve the right to remove all or part of a comment before or after publication.