Roystonhill Community Hub

The Roystonhill Community Hub was developed to bring a number of local organisations and services together within a single building. The accommodation includes offices for two housing associations, a large multi-purpose hall, commercial kitchen and social enterprise space, creating a flexible facility capable of supporting both established community groups and new organisations.

The project also released existing accommodation elsewhere in the area for use as a new medical practice, extending the benefits of the development beyond the site itself.

Construction required the removal of the 1905 Rainbow Hall, formerly associated with Townhead-Blochairn Church. Its historic façade was retained and incorporated into the new development, which creates a renewed setting for the adjacent Spire Park and maintaining a visual relationship with the surviving Category A Listed church spire. A conservation assessment undertaken by MAST informed a programme of stone repairs and fabric improvements, supported by funding from Historic Environment Scotland.

The new building uses a steel-framed structure clad in zinc and buff brick, providing a contemporary backdrop to the retained historic elements. The framed construction also allows internal spaces to be reconfigured over time as the needs of the different users change.

Energy performance and operational flexibility were important parts of the brief. Bringing several ageing community facilities together reduced overall running costs, while building management and audio-visual systems allow heating, ventilation and lighting to be controlled independently across different areas.

Rather than recreating the building that previously occupied the site, the project retains the elements that matter most to its history while providing a practical new facility designed around the needs of the organisations using it.