The work has modernised and revitalised the derelict building to bring it back into public use for the first time since 1990.

As a result, Parkhead School has been removed from Scotland’s Buildings At Risk Register following the successful completion of the two-year project for Glasgow Building Preservation Trust with Parkhead Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative and Parkhead Housing Association.

Scott Lindsay, Senior Architect at Purcell said: “Parkhead School is a grand old dame and a local landmark but the school had become forgotten about and was at risk of disappearing completely like many redundant school board buildings. Purcell has given it a new life as an enterprise centre, reaffirming its position at the heart of the community, announced by its restored bell tower clearly visible again across Parkhead.”

John Entwistle, chair of Glasgow Building Preservation Trust said: “The project at Parkhead School is an exemplar of heritage led regeneration and inter-agency cooperation in Glasgow. A significant building at risk has been rescued and sensitively restored as a focal point and asset for the local community. Like many projects of this size and scope, there have been challenges and GBPT would like to thank all of the funders and their staff whose generosity, understanding and support made the work possible.”

James Strang, chief executive of Parkhead Housing Association said: “Parkhead Housing Association is delighted to be the proud owners of the now restored Parkhead Public School building, an important step as we continue to preserve the built heritage of our community. We are excited as to what the future holds for the school, as it takes on a new purpose as a key community hub for the area. We are eager to present the building to the tenants and to the people of Parkhead as a place for them to integrate, learn and socialise.”

PROJECT

· Alteration and renovation of a derelict B-listed former school building

· Conversion to flexible contemporary office space for local organisations along with meeting rooms that can be used by the local community

· Parkhead Housing Association will manage the building on behalf of the community and any profit is being reinvested into the community in line with their charitable aims

· One of the tenants will be Skills Development Scotland

· There will also be a public IT suite to allow locals to work on their CVs and upskill to increase their employability

· Provision of 13 independent accessible office spaces with shared facilities

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

· The Parkhead School project helps tackle unemployment, not only through the new facilities provided by the centre which will allow members of the community to develop their skills, but through apprenticeships created during the building contract

· Purcell took part in a community engagement day when local school children got to try their hand at heritage construction skills on site and learn about careers in architecture

· Glasgow Building Preservation Trust appointed Building Learning to carry out community engagement on the project to keep them informed and to gather memories of the school

· The client also worked with a local artist, funded by the THI on Weave Parkhead – a project to produce four woven banners by the community to be displayed in the building, based on the area’s history of weaving which previously provided work to over 20,000 people

· The outcome is a restored public building which local people value and are able to use

RENOVATION

· Purcell performed the role of lead architect for all stages of delivery, including the planning and listed building consents, production information, and contract administration on site. The practice was also the Heritage Consultant and produced the conservation statement at the project outset

· Work carried out as part of a Townscape Heritage Initiative and has acted as a catalyst for change in the Parkhead Cross area of the city

· New glazed link to unite the two phases of the school forms a lightweight connection as the new entrance to the building

· Internal finishes removed due to dry rot and fire damage. Decorative cornices and mouldings retained where possible

· Removal of non-original additions that negatively impacted the significance of the building

SITE

· The original school building was constructed in two phases between 1878 and 1887. It closed in 1963 and was subsequently used as a career office and resource centre

· The building had been vacant since 1990 and was recorded on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk register in 2011