Gorbals (Glasgow)

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Historically, the Gorbals has been a racially and religiously diverse district of the city as it became the area of choice for immigrants to settle. By the 19th Century it was a heavily populated community, but by the mid 20th Century much of the property in the district had deteriorated into slums.

Attempts to clear the slum tenements (originally attempted by The City Improvement Trust in 1866) by Glasgow Corporation and replace them with new high-rise housing in the 1960s did little to improve this reputation. Throughout the 1980's the Gorbals was often referred to as the most dangerous place in the UK, as street gangs and casual violence were rife. The common weapon of choice amongst teenagers was a machete. The poor design and low-quality construction of the concrete 20-storey flats led to innumerable social and health problems in the area; many of the blocks developed damp and structural problems. The most infamous of these schemes, the Queen Elizabeth Square flats designed by Sir Basil Spence, was demolished in 1993 to make way for a new generation of housing development. Tragically one local resident was struck on the chest by debris during their demolition and killed. In 2004, Glasgow City Council announced plans to demolish yet more of the decaying high-rise blocks, and to comprehensively refurbish and re-clad others.

Much of the area, particularly Hutchesontown, has now been comprehensively redeveloped for the third time, providing a mix of private and social housing. Earlier phases of this recent redevelopment tended toward yellow-brick reinterpretations of traditional tenements, in a post-modern style. More recent phases, masterplanned by Piers Gough, have employed noted modern architects such as Page/Park, Elder & Cannon and CZWG, resulting in more bold and radical designs, accompanied by innovative street plans and high-quality landscaping and incorporating many pieces of public art. Most of the area's few remaining Victorian tenements have also been refurbished and reoccupied, often by young professionals. Along with the district's close proximity to the city centre, redevelopment has caused property prices to rise dramatically and the area is in the throes of gentrification. Shopping and leisure facilities, however, remain limited.