List of tallest buildings and structures in Glasgow

This List of tallest buildings in Glasgow includes built and planned high-rise buildings in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.

The city skyline of Glasgow, showing some of the city's tallest buildings. The now demolished Bluevale/Whitevale "twin towers" – are visible in the distance to the left of centre

Faced with crippling housing shortages and overcrowding in the immediate post-war period, the city undertook the building of multi-storey housing in tower blocks in the 1960s and early 1970s on a grand scale, which led to Glasgow becoming the first truly high-rise city in Britain. However, many of these schemes were poorly planned and cheaply constructed, which led to many of the blocks becoming insanitary magnets for crime and deprivation.[1]

It would not be until 1988 that high rises were built in the city once again, with the construction of the 17-storey Forum Hotel (latterly the Moat House International Hotel, and now the Crowne Plaza Hotel) next to the SECC. The 20-storey Hilton Hotel in Anderston followed in 1992. From the early 1990s, Glasgow City Council and its successor, the Glasgow Housing Association, have run a programme of demolishing the worst of the residential tower blocks, including Basil Spence's Gorbals blocks in 1993.

The current tallest structure in Glasgow at 127 metres (417 ft), is the Glasgow Tower within the Glasgow Science Centre, however as this is an observation tower - not strictly speaking a building, then the 26-storey Balgrayhill tower blocks in Springburn area claim the title.

The tallest building ever to have stood in Glasgow was the 91.44m Tait Tower in Bellahouston, built for the Empire Exhibition of 1938, but pulled down the following year.

Since the late 1990s, property developers have been planning new upmarket residential and office high-rises along the River Clyde, and in the city's financial district, which would far surpass these in height.

Glasgow skyline

The term "tallest building in Glasgow" is itself ambiguous. Currently, two structures in the city have made a claim for the title depending on which measurement is used:

  • The Glasgow Tower as part of the Glasgow Science Centre on Prince's Dock on the South Bank of the River Clyde, holds the overall title as the tallest free-standing structure in Glasgow, and the whole of Scotland at a height of 127 metres (417 ft), however this measurement includes the structure's spire, It holds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest tower in the world in which the whole structure is capable of rotating 360 degrees.
  • Since the demolition in 2015 of both the Red Road Flats and the Bluevale/Whitevale twin towers, the two eastern tower blocks of the 26-storey Balgrayhill high-rise estate in Springburn are the tallest buildings within the Glasgow city boundary.

The tallest building within the city centre is the 17-storey St. Andrew House on Sauchiehall Street, originally an office block but now a Premier Inn hotel.

Tallest buildings in Glasgow
Rank Name Image Height Coordinates Floors Year Primary use Notes
1Glasgow Tower127 metres (417 ft)55.859248°N 4.296229°W / 55.859248; -4.296229 (Glasgow Tower)01.022001Viewing PlatformHolds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest tower in the world in which the whole structure is capable of rotating 360 degrees.[2][3]
2Glasgow University Tower85 metres (279 ft)55.871348°N 4.288641°W / 55.871348; -4.288641 (University of Glasgow)04.0?1887University[4][3]
3=15 Croftbank Street74 metres (243 ft)55.883351°N 4.224550°W / 55.883351; -4.224550 (Springburn)02.0261964ResidentialLocated in Springburn.[5][3]
3=250 Edgefauld Road74 metres (243 ft)55.883351°N 4.224550°W / 55.883351; -4.224550 (Springburn)02.0261964ResidentialLocated in Springburn.[5][3]
3=22 Viewpoint Place74 metres (243 ft)55.891233°N 4.229900°W / 55.891233; -4.229900 (Balgrayhill)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Springburn.[5][3]
3=42 Viewpoint Place74 metres (243 ft)55.891233°N 4.229900°W / 55.891233; -4.229900 (Balgrayhill)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Springburn.[5][3]
3=120 Wyndford Road74 metres (243 ft)55.887451°N 4.295517°W / 55.887451; -4.295517 (Wyndford Road)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Wyndford.[6][3]
3=151 Wyndford Road74 metres (243 ft)55.887451°N 4.295517°W / 55.887451; -4.295517 (Wyndford Road)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Wyndford.[6][3]
3=171 Wyndford Road74 metres (243 ft)55.887451°N 4.295517°W / 55.887451; -4.295517 (Wyndford Road)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Wyndford.[6][3]
3=190 Wyndford Road74 metres (243 ft)55.887451°N 4.295517°W / 55.887451; -4.295517 (Wyndford Road)04.0261964ResidentialLocated in Wyndford.[6][3]
11Glasgow City Chambers73 metres (240 ft)55.860957°N 4.248511°W / 55.860957; -4.248511 (Glasgow City Chambers)04.041889Office[7][3]
12=2 Taylor Place72 metres (236 ft)55.864951°N 4.244064°W / 55.864951; -4.244064 (Townhead)04.0251967ResidentialLocated in Townhead.[8][3]
12=15 Grafton Place72 metres (236 ft)55.864951°N 4.244064°W / 55.864951; -4.244064 (Townhead)04.0251967ResidentialLocated in Townhead.[8][3]
12=12 Dobbie's Loan Place[8][3]72 metres (236 ft)55.864951°N 4.244064°W / 55.864951; -4.244064 (Townhead)04.0251967ResidentialLocated in Townhead.[8][3]
12=7 St. Mungo Place[8][3]72 metres (236 ft)55.864951°N 4.244064°W / 55.864951; -4.244064 (Townhead)04.0251967ResidentialLocated in Townhead.[8][3]
12=178 Balgrayhill Road72 metres (236 ft)55.891233°N 4.229900°W / 55.891233; -4.229900 (Balgrayhill)04.0251964ResidentialHighest man-made point above sea level within Glasgow city boundary. Located in Springburn.[5][3]
12=198 Balgrayhill Road72 metres (236 ft)55.891233°N 4.229900°W / 55.891233; -4.229900 (Balgrayhill)04.0251964ResidentialHighest man-made point above sea level within Glasgow city boundary. Located in Springburn.[5][3]
18St. Andrew House71 metres (233 ft)55.864571°N 4.254194°W / 55.864571; -4.254194 (St Andrew House)01.0181964HotelConverted to a Premier Inn hotel in 2012. The rooms on the 18th Floor are the highest hotel rooms in the city.[9][3]
19Hilton Glasgow70 metres (230 ft)55.861378°N 4.269345°W / 55.861378; -4.269345 (Hilton Glasgow)01.0201992Hotel[10][3]
20=Ten 1960s tower blocks of varying design (two at Hutchesontown, three at Cowcaddens, five at Knightswood) and one modern apartment block at Glasgow Harbour are all the same height.69 metres (226 ft)01.024VariousResidential[11][3]

Other notable tall structures

Buildings with a Wikipedia article and over 50 metres in height.

Name Image Height Coordinates Floors Year Primary use Notes
Cathkin Braes wind turbine125 metres (410 ft)[lower-alpha 1]
80 metres (262 ft)[lower-alpha 2]		55.797467°N 4.215594°W / 55.797467; -4.215594 (Cathkin Braes wind turbine)2013Wind turbine[12]
Glasgow Cathedral68.6 metres (225 ft)55.862978°N 4.234668°W / 55.862978; -4.234668 (Glasgow Cathedral)1197Cathedral[13][3]
St Andrew's West Church67 metres (220 ft)55.865206°N 4.266865°W / 55.865206; -4.266865 (St Columba Church)1852Church[14]
Anniesland Court66 metres (217 ft)55.891020°N 4.325166°W / 55.891020; -4.325166 (Anniesland Court)01.0241968ResidentialTallest listed building in Scotland. Only tower block to have a Category A listing in Glasgow. Located in Anniesland.[15][16]
Cineworld62 metres (203 ft)55.865115°N 4.254955°W / 55.865115; -4.254955 (Cineworld Glasgow)162001CinemaTallest Cinema complex in the world.[17]
Argyle Building62 metres (203 ft)55.859477°N 4.267824°W / 55.859477; -4.267824 (Argyle Building)01.0202008Residential[18]
St Columba Church61 metres (200 ft)55.862774°N 4.266768°W / 55.862774; -4.266768 (St Columba Church)1904Cathedral[19]
St Mary's Cathedral60.5 metres (198 ft)55.873397°N 4.275077°W / 55.873397; -4.275077 (St Mary's Cathedral)1893Cathedral[20]
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital60 metres (197 ft)55.861973°N 4.341239°W / 55.861973; -4.341239 (South Glasgow University Hospital)142015Hospital[21]
Crowne Plaza Glasgow55 metres (180 ft)55.860028°N 4.290414°W / 55.860028; -4.290414 (Crowne Plaza Glasgow)171989HotelPart of the SECC.[22]
Finnieston Crane53 metres (174 ft)55.858217°N 4.284492°W / 55.858217; -4.284492 (Finnieston Crane)1931Cantilever crane[23]
Elmbank Gardens53 metres (174 ft)55.865018°N 4.269737°W / 55.865018; -4.269737 (Elmbank Gardens)151973Hotel[24]
Livingstone Tower52 metres (171 ft)55.860974°N 4.243464°W / 55.860974; -4.243464 (Livingstone Tower)171965UniversityPart of the University of Strathclyde.[25]
  1. including rotating blades with 45 metres (148 ft) length
  2. base 'hub' unit only.

Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed

Approved
Name Height
metres / ft		 Floors Year (est.) Primary Use Location Notes
366 Cathedral Street65 metres (213 ft)23Student ResidenceTownhead
Atlantic Square Building 145 metres (148 ft)10OfficeIFSD
Atlantic Square Building 234 metres (112 ft)7OfficeIFSD

Proposed

Top 10 in Order of Height

Building Name Height Floors Main Usage Other Usage
Savoy Centre Towers 110 metres (361 ft) 32 Mixed None
Jumeirah Hotel 92.5 metres (303 ft) 24 Hotel Residential
Custom House Quay[26] 69 metres (226 ft) 25 Hotel Residential
Sky Plaza 49 metres (161 ft) 16 Residential None
10–16 Dixon Street[27] 44 metres (144 ft) 14 Residential Retail
Homes for the Future phase 2 44 metres (144 ft) 13 Residential None
Central Quay Phase 5 42 metres (138 ft) 10 Office Retail
145 St Vincent Street 42 metres (138 ft) 10 Office None
Atlantic Square 40 metres (131 ft) 12 Office None
Building 3 Atlantic Quay 35 metres (115 ft) 10 Office None
St Andrews Wharf Residential 34 metres (112 ft) 11 Residential None

Unbuilt
Name Height Floors Year Notes
East One180 metres (591 ft)55
Cheapside Tower 1170 metres (558 ft)50
Cheapside Tower 2170 metres (558 ft)50
Cheapside Tower 3136 metres (446 ft)40
Elphinstone Place134 metres (440 ft)39Cancelled due to the 2008 Financial crisis. Now the site of the new Scottish Power HQ.[28]
Elmbank Tower107.5 metres (353 ft)28[29]
Glasgow Harbour Tower93 metres (305 ft)30
Elphinstone Urban Village Tower 181 metres (266 ft)27
Graving Docks Tower 165 metres (213 ft)21
Elphinstone Urban Village Tower 260 metres (197 ft)20

Demolished
Name Image Height Coordinates Floors Year built Year demolished Notes
Townsend Chimney138 metres (453 ft)55.871207°N 4.251493°W / 55.871207; -4.251493 (Townsend's Chimney)N/A18591964At J. Townsend Chemical Works, Port Dundas. Tallest chimney in the world from 1859 to 1889.[30][31][32][33]
Tennant's Stalk133 metres (436 ft)55.870249°N 4.234689°W / 55.870249; -4.234689 (Tennent's Stalk)N/A18421922At the St Rollox Chemical Works, Springburn. Tallest chimney in the world from 1842 to 1859. Demolished after being struck by lightning.[30][31][34][35]
Pinkston Power Station cooling tower310 feet (94 m)55.8723°N 4.2472°W / 55.8723; -4.2472 (Pinkston)19521976Largest cooling tower in Europe at time of completion. Complex in Port Dundas (providing energy for the Glasgow Corporation Tramways) also included two 263 feet (80 m) chimney stacks.[36][37][38]
Tait Tower91.4 metres (300 ft)55.845535°N 4.318183°W / 55.845535; -4.318183 (Tait Tower)?19381939Built as part of the 1938 Empire Exhibition.
109 Bluevale Street90.8 metres (298 ft)55.855958°N 4.215552°W / 55.855958; -4.215552 (Gallowgate)3019682015Was the joint tallest inhabitable building in Scotland. Located in Gallowgate.[39]
51 Whitevale Street90.8 metres (298 ft)55.855958°N 4.215552°W / 55.855958; -4.215552 (Gallowgate)3019682015Was the joint tallest inhabitable building in Scotland. Located in Gallowgate.[39]
10 Red Road Court89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672015Tallest residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
33 Petershill Drive89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672015Tallest residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
63 Petershill Drive89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672015Tallest residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
93 Petershill Drive89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672015Tallest residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
123 Petershill Drive89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672015Tallest Residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
21 Birnie Court89 metres (292 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)3119672013Tallest residential buildings in Europe at the time of completion.[40]
153-213 Petershill Court78 metres (256 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)2819672012[40]
10-30 Petershill Court74 metres (243 ft)55.880355°N 4.208291°W / 55.880355; -4.208291 (Red Road)2619672015[40]
Clydesdale Bank Tower73 metres (240 ft)55.858993°N 4.295110°W / 55.858993; -4.295110 (Clydesdale Bank Tower)119871989Built for the Glasgow Garden Festival, later moved to Rhyl in Wales.[41]
240 Roystonhill72 metres (236 ft)55.867604°N 4.223909°W / 55.867604; -4.223909 (Rosemount Street)2519671992Located in Royston.[42]
20 Rosemount Street72 metres (236 ft)55.867604°N 4.223909°W / 55.867604; -4.223909 (Rosemount Street)2519672013Located in Royston.[42]
40 Rosemount Street72 metres (236 ft)55.867604°N 4.223909°W / 55.867604; -4.223909 (Rosemount Street)2519672016Located in Royston.[42]
Ten 1960s tower blocks of varying design (four at Laurieston, two at Gorbals, two at Hutchesontown) were all the same height.69 metres (226 ft)01.024VariousResidential[11]

See also

References
  1. "Disappearing Glasgow: documenting the demolition of a city's troubled past". The Guardian. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  2. Science Centre Tower at Emporis
  3. David McLean (4 May 2017). "Glasgow's top 15 tallest buildings". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  4. "The Gilbert Scott Building". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  5. "Buildings in Glasgow: Springburn". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  6. "Buildings in Glasgow: Wyndford". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  7. Glasgow City Chambers at Emporis
  8. "Buildings in Glasgow: Townhead". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  9. St. Andrew's House at Emporis
  10. Glasgow International Hilton Hotel at Emporis
  11. "Buildings in Glasgow: Page 2". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  12. Vivienne Nicoll (23 May 2013). "£5m city turbine will be visible around world". Evening Times. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  13. Glasgow Cathedral at Emporis
  14. Renfield St. Stephen's Church at Emporis
  15. "Tower Block UK: Anniesland Cross". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  16. Anniesland Court at Emporis
  17. Glasgow UGC Multiplex at Emporis
  18. Cadogan Square at Emporis
  19. Highland Cathedral at Emporis
  20. St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral at Emporis
  21. Glasgow South Adult Hospital at Emporis
  22. Crowne Plaza Hotel at Emporis
  23. "Finnieston Crane". Clyde Waterfront. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  24. Premier Inn Glasgow Charing Cross at Emporis
  25. Livingstone Tower, University of Strathclyde at Emporis
  26. Custom House Quay at Emporis
  27. Dixon Street Development at Emporis
  28. Elphinstone Place at Emporis
  29. Elmbank Tower at Emporis
  30. Robert Bancroft; Francis Bancroft (1885). Tall Chimney Construction (PDF). Lewes: Farncombe and Co. p. 33. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  31. Lynn Pearson (2016). Victorian and Edwardian British Industrial Architecture. The Crowood Press. p. 31. ISBN 9781785001901. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  32. "Forth & Clyde Canal, Townsend's chimney, Glasgow". Archive Images. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  33. "Port Dundas Townsend Chimney". SkyscraperPage.
  34. "St. Rollox Chemical Works in Glasgow". BBC Sport. Alamy. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  35. "Tennant's Stalk". SkyscraperPage.
  36. "Glasgow, North Canal Bank Street, Pinkston Power Station". Canmore. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  37. "Pinkston Power Station". The Glasgow Story. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  38. Landmark vanishes in just six seconds, Glasgow Herald, 20 September 1976
  39. "Buildings in Glasgow: Gallowgate". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  40. "Buildings in Glasgow: Red Road". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  41. Clydesdale Tower at Emporis
  42. "Buildings in Glasgow: Royston". Emporis. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
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