Scotland's Best Building 2016
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Number 28 Spring 2017 Scotland’s Best Building 2016 Editorial Contents t’s a great pleasure and privilege to join The Glasgow Academy and be able to 3 Saunders Centre scoops UK’s introduce myself to you through this highly regarded and well-loved publication. richest architecture prize I have been given permission from the Rector and Malcolm to write this column I 4 The Glasgow Academy and the and edit this issue of Etcetera. Battle of the Somme It is such an exciting time to be part of a school which is steeped in a rich history and 6 The Glasgow Academy in 1916 has big aims and ambitions for the future. 9 The Legacy of Giving I join the Academy from the UK’s trade association for the pensions industry where, 12 Glasgow Academical Club for the past eight years, I was responsible for client relations, commercial activities and communications with members and stakeholders in Scotland. Prior to that I worked as 18 Westbourne Section a financial journalist with two titles in London. 21 Glasgow’s golfing Olympian I am delighted to be taking on this new challenge and working in the External 22 Professor Ronald Drever - causing Relations team as the new Director of Development. It’s also a particularly exciting more than a ripple in Physics time for my family as my wife and I have enrolled our four-year-old son to begin his 24 Meetings, get-togethers and Academy journey from Prep 1 in August this year. reunions I’ve spent much of my first few weeks getting to know staff, governors, parents and 26 Announcements pupils and I have been made to feel extremely welcome by all. It seems impossible to predict what is going to happen on any given day as no two days have been the same 30 Obituaries since I joined at the beginning of the year. 32 Remembering Ronnie Woods I would like to wish my predecessor, Mark Taylor, all the very best in his new role as 38 Tributes to Ian MacGregor Director of Alumnae Relations and Development at Roedean School in Brighton. 39 Dear Sir… Mark achieved so much in his time at the Academy, most notably the instrumental part he played in the creation of the Saunders Centre. Mark made many friends in this role and hopes to keep in touch and return to Academy events when he can. Do we have your e-mail address? This edition of Etcetera reflects on the Academy’s involvement in the First World War It’s how we communicate best! and, in particular, the Battle of the Somme. It also contains the regular features such as updates, events and reunions and pays special tributes to notable Accies we have lost during 2016. Keeping in touch The External Relations office is situated in 2017 looks set to be a busy year with lots of new pupils joining the Academy after the Colebrooke Terrace. Former pupils are always summer, with many events and activities planned in between. welcome to pop in for a chat and look round I very much hope to meet you soon! the school. Just give us a call to arrange a time. Our address is Colebrooke Terrace, Glasgow Best wishes G12 8HE and you can contact us on 0141 342 5494 or at [email protected] The Glasgow Academical Club 21 Helensburgh Drive, Glasgow G13 1RR [email protected] President: John Mason E-mail: [email protected] Steven Dignall Mark Taylor The Academical Club pavilion is available for functions. Academical Club’s London Section President – Karen Greenshields, 20 Cadogan Place London SW1X 9SA Tel: 020 7235 9012 E-mail: [email protected] Like us on Facebook; join us on LinkedIn 2 Etcetera Cover photo of the Saunders Centre. Photographer Andrew Lee Saunders Centre scoops UK’s richest architecture prize Bryan Duncan, Lead Governor of the Sci-Tech Project, reports on the road to success of The Saunders Centre. he Glasgow Academy’s newest vision was considered, compiled and multi-purpose auditorium offering a building has won the Best communicated – the essence of which is: hi-tech performance space for theatrical, TBuilding in Scotland for 2016. The ‘to do more for all our children by advancing musical and public events, enhancing the Saunders Centre was awarded the Royal our sport, arts, science, learning & teaching’. Academy’s relationship with the West End Incorporation of Architects in Scotland’s Any new building was to embody these community around. It offers permanent Andrew Doolan prize, presented by aspirations which in turn led to a wider raked seating, superb acoustics and Scotland’s Culture Secretary Fiona consideration of the campus. Page\ state-of-the-art audio/visual technology, Hyslop at the National Museum of Park were appointed to develop in including 3D Cinema – used as an Scotland in November. conjunction with the school fraternity a important teaching aid with over 300 3D development framework. Following close educational programmes available. The £15m project was part-funded by liaison with Glasgow City Planning, a The ground floor incorporates a teaching a £750,000 donation bequeathed by Lt plan emerged to demolish and replace kitchen and on each upper floor, four Col Francis Saunders, who was Scotland’s the old tenements with a fit-for-purpose general teaching labs, together with a oldest man when he died in 2013.This Science Building. sixth year lab, arranged along a glazed splendid new addition to our campus is break-out. An informal array of seating in Given the prominence of the site and its an elegant and subtle enhancement of these gathering spaces encourages chance proximity to Great Western Road, the the streetscape. Like many things in life, meetings. a decent gestation period (3-5 years), plan developed to deliver a sophisticated Perhaps insignificant on their own but truly a sound financial plan, collaboration building akin to University labs and significant in combination are the great with all stakeholders; and an excellent facilities. Major application status was number of small design details, such as, and highly committed project team, adopted as a methodology (the building is clean Scandinavian-styled interior finishes, have afforded the opportunity to fully only 3500sq.m) given the neighbourhood use of washed oak throughout, large format realise any potential – a building that and local statutory bodies/civic trusts. porcelain tiles, arbo flooring, iguzzini light transforms the way the Academy delivers This was a welcomed step and ensured fittings, skyframe doors leading to the rear education, providing inspiring facilities that best practice consultation occurred. garden space, techcrete polished and etched for generations of students and staff. Page\Park were appointed as scheme architects and the framework was lodged facades, use of krion in bathrooms and a comprehensive signage package including Our history of building has seen at least with the Council. A number of open an alumni gallery spanning 150 years. These four new builds over 20 years. But this evenings and events were held, together all help support a wonderful building. time it had to be different, as for the first with dialogue with all local politicians, time, the Academy was “breaking out” of and consent was granted in summer 2012. As one 14-year-old pupil said: “The new its historical west end campus and into The students and staff played a building has made a massive difference. The the immediate neighbourhood. particularly important role in designing atmosphere helps you study. Everything this building, both through regular works exactly as it should. Definitely worth On the back of opening a new consultations with the Pupil School the money!” Preparatory School building in 2008 Council and through focus groups of If you would like to arrange a visit to and then being able to acquire blocks student volunteers who contributed The Academy and a tour of the Saunders of structurally unsound tenement flats their ideas to Page\Park. Spaciousness, Centre, we would be delighted to see you. on the corner of Colebrooke Street and flexibility, extensive use of glass, and Please get in touch with our External Colebrooke Place (directly opposite the study and social/networking areas Relations team on 0141 342 5494. school’s Main Building), the Board of have governed the front elevation of Governors wished to take stock. A 2020 the building. At its heart is a 175-seat Etcetera 3 The Glasgow Academy and the Battle of the Somme Simon Wood, Head of History at The Glasgow Academy, reports on the Officer Training Corps, recruitment and the involvement of Academicals in the 17th Highland Light Infantry during the Battle of the Somme. t seems appropriate, 100 years which was also known as the after the event, to reflect on the Glasgow Highlanders. Over 90 Iinvolvement of The Glasgow Academicals fought in its ranks. Academy in the First World War, However, I am going to look in and particularly of one unit in the detail at a unit which became Battle of the Somme. Context is known as the 17th Battalion important and it is true to say that Highland Light Infantry. In fact the links between the school and this unit’s origins lie in the great the armed forces were strong. The volunteering that took place most obvious way into the army from August 1914. The City was through the Officer Training of Glasgow recruited a number Corps, which we know today as of battalions; the 1st Glasgow, the Combined Cadet Force. By which was mainly drawn from 1914 this had been functioning the Tramway employees of for a number of years.