Princes Square

Category: Urban Design

Princes Square is a modern shopping centre. It was renovated by Hugh Martin & Partners and was opened in 1988 by the Prince Of Wales. Since then it has become a symbol of Glasgow's economic rebirth. It is a good example of facade retention, which keeps the front of an old building but creates a new building behind it. Many buildings in Glasgow have been preserved in this way.

Princes Square used to be a huge wooden hotel, built in the late 18th century and surrounded by cobbled lanes. The site also had many other uses: it was a great clothing store, and was used for the textiles and jewellery industries, the civil service, the passport office and as a medical centre. In 1988, new levels were added within the shell of the old building, and a huge well was left in the centre of the space. The facade was left standing except for a few additions. The entrances have elaborate Art Nouveau canopies made in wrought iron and coloured glass.

On top of the facade is a sculpture of a peacock made in coloured wrought iron and steel. A huge glass roof admits daylight and allows a view of the night sky. In 1997, a new canopy was added over the entrances, which softened the front of the building and cast a green and blue glow over the pavement. It is made of elegant curved steelwork and delicate coloured glass. The canopy makes a gentle sweeping curve and changes the light around the doorways to make it more welcoming.

The centre has become very popular as a place to eat, drink and shop. The work of well-known designers can be seen, such as Katharine Hamnett and Nicole Farhi, or local jeweller and ceramicist Nancy Smillie. Another good example of a facade retention is in Ingram Street, where the facade of the building is stands alone supported by a huge scaffold.