The Pipe Factory

The Pipe Factory was built between 1876-79, and designed by visionary architect Matthew Forsyth (1850-80). This architectural gem boasts Italian Renaissance-inspired designs that showcase an exquisite mastery of brickwork. William White and Sons operated the building as a clay smoking pipe factory between 1877 and 1955, they employed over 500 people, and as such, the building was at the heart of the Calton community. The Pipe Factory is an important historical landmark in Glasgow’s industrial heritage, and this year will be your last opportunity to see the building’s bare bones and behind the scenes before The Pipe Factory closes for major preservation and refurbishment works later this year. This Glasgow Doors Open Days Week, join us for a celebration of this stunning historic building, its history, and its plans for the future via an architectural exhibition, on-site tours, and an all ages mini bricks ‘buildathon’. On Saturday (1-4pm) drop-in for a colourful textiles-themed arts & crafts creative session led by Zeno Fabric and Textiles. Throughout the weekend we will also be screening local archive footage, including ‘The Green of Glasgow’, sourced and compiled by The Pipe Factory heritage team and the National Moving Image Archive.”