Plan Submitted for Scotland’s Tallest “Building”

The redrawn plans for Portcullis House — which would become the tallest “building” in Scotland at 125 m— near Glasgow’s Charing Cross station, were submitted by developer Watkin Jones Group to Glasgow City Council in late November, Architects’ Journal reports. The 127-m Glasgow Tower observation deck currently holds the title of Glasgow and Scotland’s tallest “structure.” The new two-part building would be 36 and 10 stories. HawkinsBrown’s updated scheme is three stories taller than its earlier plans for the same developer, which were submitted in 2021 but later withdrawn. If consented, the new development will be called The Àrd and will provide student homes, addressing a “chronic undersupply of student accommodation in Glasgow.” The new design also features a double-height ground floor atrium with room for a café and workspace and includes a unit for local charity Glasgow Social Enterprise Network (GSEN), which the project team says will be given for free. The top floor would feature an events space with panoramic views of Glasgow.