 | |
 | |
| Location | Glasgow, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Opening date | May 1989 |
| Architect | GMW Architects |
| No. of stores and services | 86 |
| Total retail floor area | 70,000 m2 (750,000 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | 3 |
| Public transit access | St Enoch subway station Argyle Street railway station |
The St. Enoch Centre is a shopping mall located in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. The centre is located adjacent to St Enoch Square. The Architects were the GMW Architects. The construction, undertaken by Sir Robert McAlpine,[1] began in 1986, and the building was opened to the public on 25 May 1989.[2][3] It was officially opened by the then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in February of the following year.[4]
Located on the site of the former St Enoch Station, the building is just off Glasgow's famous shopping thoroughfare, Argyle Street and overlooks the historic St. Enoch Square and the original subway station building. The present St Enoch subway station is accessible by escalators.
Whilst the target of many architectural critics, the building is notable for its massive glass roof, which makes it the largest glass-covered enclosed area in Europe. Not only does this substantially reduce heating and lighting loads – the mall area is lit entirely by natural daylight in summer, whilst the solar heat generated by the roof means that mechanical heating is only required for a week on average per year – it also earned the building its affectionate nickname "The Glasgow Greenhouse".[5][6] The roof's steel framework was fabricated by the shipbuilders Scott Lithgow.[3]
The glass roofed element surrounds a seven-storey car park, and when originally opened, an ice rink.[3] This was closed in 1999 when a refurbishment programme (initiated to compete with the newer Buchanan Galleries complex), saw it being replaced by more shops and an enlarged restaurant area.
- ^ "Projects". Sir Robert McAlpine. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "About - St Enoch - Shopping Centre - Glasgow City Centre". St Enoch. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Memories of the St Enoch Centre as the 'The Glasgow Greenhouse' turns 30". Glasgow Live. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "The Thatcher Interview - BBC1 Scotland - 9 March 1990 "We in Scotland"". YouTube.
- ^ Chris Hogg; Lynn Patrick (15 September 2014). The Glasgow, Cowal & Bute Route Through Time. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp. 29–. ISBN 978-1-4456-2114-2.
- ^ Chris Hogg; Lynn Patrick (15 October 2015). Scottish Railway Icons: Central Belt to the Borders. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-1-4456-2115-9.