The Development of Glasgow’s Commercial Architecture

In his influential 1960 essay, “The Grid and the Urban Grain,” architecture critic Ian Nairn offers a vivid portrayal of Glasgow’s cityscape. He describes the city as ‘a kind of topographical epic with the buildings as incidents” and likens it to ‘a Beethoven symphony played over 150 years,” where the passage of time adds a unique power to the city’s physical landscape. In doing so Nairn brilliantly captures the qualities of Glasgow’s gridded city centre. The commercial buildings which sit within this grid, so ruthlessly imposed on to the city’s hilly landscape, make up this strong urban matrix and give the city its unique character. Discover the evolution of Glasgow’s gridded cityscape and the architects like Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, Sir John James Burnet, and James Miller who shaped its distinctive commercial architecture. This tradition is vital to preserving and enhancing Glasgow’s unique sense of place.