The £78m development replaces the Strathclyde Police Headquarters, located on Pitt Street in Glasgow city centre and a stone’s throw from Ryder’s Glasgow office. A place once thriving with activity, the building had been deserted since 2013 following the amalgamation of Strathclyde Police into Police Scotland, before being demolished in 2019.

Holland Park’s massing aligns with the traditional grid iron plan of the city, creating quality street frontage while also defining a central courtyard space. The massing varies with each elevation to efficiently deal with the level changes across the site and assist in delivering good quality space and light within the central courtyard.

The development comprises 433 studios and one, two and three-bedroom Build to Rent (BtR) apartments delivered on behalf of Moda Living.

Arranged around a publicly accessible landscaped courtyard, the building provides ground floor level commercial space, internal and external amenity spaces, including external roof terraces, as well as enclosed private basement parking.

As a result of their work at Moda, Angel Gardens in Manchester, Ryder was asked to lead the new development following the successful planning approval. This was delivered by Haus Collective architects in Glasgow in early 2018. Since then, Ryder has managed the project and will continue to do so through construction to completion, with Haus Collective working client side. Ryder is also principal designer on the project.

With a portfolio of projects on behalf of the leading BtR developer and operator, Ryder has achieved significant expertise in residential, and the BtR sector.

Ryder’s role at Moda, Angel Gardens, involved delivering a high quality 34-storey city centre project for Moda, and was the start of a flourishing relationship between the two brands. Ryder has since been appointed on several other Moda projects.

The building will offer the largest share of private rental sector units within Glasgow by a developer with a proven track record of delivering similar schemes in the UK. It will also be a first of its kind example of world-class purpose designed rental accommodation in Scotland.

Matt Haggerty, architectural director at Ryder and the project’s director, said: “The Holland Park development at the former Strathclyde Police HQ represents another significant milestone with our client Moda Living in supplying high quality private rental apartments. With a focus on delivering the luxurious internal and external environments synonymous with the Moda brand, this neighbourhood will play a significant role in revitalising Glasgow’s city centre.”

The development is on track to complete in October 2023.