The practice wrote: “Glasgow Doors Open Day Festival is a brilliant, eclectic celebration of the city we love, and in which we live and work. This year, festival organisers Glasgow Building Preservation Trust has overcome the obstacles COVID-19 presented by making its event entirely accessible online, with the timely theme of Untold Stories.

“During lockdown, we witnessed worldwide protests were held in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd, which led to a global debate on how society addresses structural racism. Part of that debate has focussed on how we think about the statues and street names historically connected to slavery and racist ideology. During the late 17th century, notions of racial superiority were developed and even codified into law, in order to justify the enslavement of African people.

“The story of how Glasgow was shaped by the Transatlantic slave trade is fascinating, as is the lack of discussion and formal education around it. Understanding our history and these ideologies is imperative, as it will help us better understand and question racist ideas that continue to affect people’s lives now.”

Hoskins Architects invited Stuco Design, the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) and veteran political campaigner and community activist Cllr Graham Campbell to collaborate on the project, bringing together a diverse set of skills with wide-ranging experience. All involved share a belief in the fundamental role the creative arts and design have in telling these important stories in an engaging way.

Hoskins Architects added: “The Hidden Stories Map is an interactive, digital walking tour aimed at young people, incorporating challenges and stories that reveal the connection our city has to the Transatlantic slave trade. Brought to life by the beautiful illustrations of Stuco Design and the voices of a diverse group of school children, the tour is designed to encourage young minds to explore and interrogate the built environment around them.

“The aim is to continue developing this collaborative work into a more comprehensive resource to be used in schools to give young people a better understanding of Glasgow’s built environment and the history that shaped it, and to promote discussion about how we can address inequality in our society.”

The Glasgow Doors Open Day Festival (GDODF) will run between September 14-20. All events are free to attend but some live events such as webinars need to be booked in advance. This year GDODF Guided Walking tours will be delivered via an app called GuidiGo. It’s free to download and is an accessible and interesting way of exploring the city.

Visit Glasgow Doors Open Days website for details. The Hidden Stories Maps listing no.93, in the events section of the brochure.

Images are copyright Stuart Kerr