The Big City Challenge: Glasgow’s High Street

The theme of this year is the development of design visions for the long-term future of High Street in Glasgow, in response to a strategic interest of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association, the University of Strathclyde and local stakeholders (in particular, ROCK CIC Regen).With the help of famous urbanists such as David Rudlin (URBED), winner of the Wolfson Prize in 2014,Nicholas Boys Smith (CREATE Streets, London), we will implement the notion of‘Masterplanning for Change and other innovative approaches to the strategic and detailed design of the resilient city.

Our design objectives include but are not limited to: re-establishing High Street prominent character in the city; reconnecting the East End to the City Centre through a continuous, vibrant urban form; helping shape a unique Innovation District from the University into the city and vice versa, so to reinforce the image of an inclusive and socially progressive University; repairing and developing key sites with innovative housing and infrastructure; repairing connectivity and supporting local entrepreneurship.

Tenements near the northern end of High Street, Glasgow.

Analysis: 2018 / 2019

The studio is split into groups, each tasked with one aspect of the analysis to build an expansive and thorough understanding of the area as part of a larger urban section, getting to know its potentials and pitfalls.

Strategy 2018 / 2019

New groups are formed to contain one member of each previous groups. This ensures that all the information gathered in the understanding of Drumchapel can be succesfully condensed into strategic plans for the improvement of the area, envisaging actions and projects that deal with services, mobility, housing, and public realm provision.

Masterplan 2018 / 2019


All the information gathered and produced in Semester 1 was shared and informed Semester 2. Masterplanning groups were formed freely.