Built in the late 1960s, the optimism that heralded the new utopias and improved standard of living that these flats enabled, quickly evaporated. Their demise encapsulates the issues and problems surrounding high rise social housing more generally.
Leaving a powerful imprint on the memory of the city, the last of the temporary inhabitants, were rehoused prior to the tower’s removal from the landscape in a series of controlled demolitions between 2012 and 2015. Prior to the demolition I had photographed and written about the area for Urban Realm Magazine and some lines extracted from my original article are below.
‘I was here at short notice, my camera with me to capture what I could of the condition and current state of this area.
The demolition of buildings integral to a community, along with the associated relocation of residents amidst regeneration plans has echoes across Scotland and the UK.
High Rise living may be coming to an end in Glasgow, but new tensions are created, in expectation of individual’s uncertain future and personal journeys.
Staring into the sparse walls of the towers, a mesmerising grid of windows signifies the many stories and lives, which have been contained behind these facades.
Symbolising the well documented failure and isolation of many such areas “…Just knock me down with the building – Don’t bother shifting me” is a harsh reaction by one resident.
Resigned to its approaching demise, with the clearance of flats and dismantling of blocks underway, the physical scars and signs of neglect overshadows the remaining fabric and built environment that residents interact with.
An ominous calm pervades the area whilst I was here; – courteous smiles, impeccable politeness and the sense of a community getting on with things manages to override the real crisis many residents have found themselves in.’
The pictures show images in the area’s last days and as the flats were prepared for demolition – as well as a memorable photograph with the band Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5, entertaining onlookers as one of the blocks came down.
‘Red Road, Glasgow. Their final demise has begun.
Build me up, just to knock me down.
We‘ve been standing in the cold for decades now.’
‘You promised us shelter, a new life, happiness. Where did it all go wrong
Lets start again, roll out the demolition.
We’ll do it right this time. We’ll make it work.’
‘No commonwealth explosion digital sensation;
Just a fall from grace, a lost sense of place.
A fall from the sky, into the dirt; homes, memories and aspirations burst.
A final call from the Red Road Flats. Forget us not, we touched a lot.’
‘Lets start again, respect the past. We’ll do it right, We’ll make it work‘
‘The radiant city or so it was meant to be,
Radiant in bleakness, monotony and scale.
Like tombstones.
Solemn, Still’
‘A broken promise from Glasgow with love
Undying hope, pierced by shafts of light.
Fragile, tired, silhouetted.
In distant dreams prevail’
‘Where do we go from here
In Glasgow, we stand like towers.
Wondering where all of that hope went.
I’m thinking of some places to go’
