Exploring Glasgow and its industrial history led to a realisation that whilst there is constant regeneration, much of this does not prioritise the significance of people’s perceptions of their local area. This project aims to find a way of sensitively approaching people’s relationship to emblems of lost industries and the effects these visual reminders have on the wider wellbeing of a city.

The Govan Early Years Centre in the South Side of Glasgow is designed to provide childcare for 18 month to five year olds, in line with the Scottish National Party’s promise of 30 hours free childcare a week. Developing from the first project of the year, which was a scheme to rewild an abandoned graving dock, this proposal aims to reframe the locals’ view of the area as a place for young children. It also seeks to be a place for parents to engage with the natural world and their own history. It is an environment that engenders Govan with a sense of restored pride.

The challenging site and requirement for a completely accessible building generated a space that makes a virtue out of the necessity for multiple circulation routes. The scheme employs a 48 metre ramp to provide access to the dock level, circulation between insulated and permeable spaces as well as areas for play.