The historic Bell Street Stables in Glasgow has recently undergone an extensive conversion, featuring the installation of Alumasc’s Flushjoint aluminium rainwater downpipe system.
This magnificent period property has an interesting history. It was built between 1896-98 by A. W. Wheatley, originally to house horses working to pull the Glasgow City Council Cleansing Department’s refuse collection carts. In 1955, the building was redesigned to provide a separate entrance for the Police Department who shared the property with Cleansing until the 1980s.
Situated in a prime position within the Merchant City area in the city centre of Glasgow, the building was converted to form 52 mid-market affordable rented flats by the Construction and Manufacturing Group (CCG) on behalf of Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and Lowther Homes, during a two-year construction programme. The renovation was completed in 2019.
A major requirement of the renovation was to conserve as much of the building’s heritage as possible, which included all exterior aspects. This involved the upgrade of the stone elevation, replacing all windows and making repairs to the roof and rainwater system.
Flushjoint aluminium downpipes along with contemporary hopper heads were specified for their contemporary design. The installation was completed in a non-standard RAL colour to match and complement the window surrounds.
Flushjoint is a contemporary range of extruded aluminium downpipes. The Flushjoint system is based on concealed spigots, which give a smooth, clean appearance that complements modern building design. The pipes are mounted on brackets to stand clear of the structure and are available in circular, square and rectangular pipes. They are lightweight, durable, non-corrodible and 100% recyclable. Add in available in 26 standard colours BBA powder coating process and available to match any RAL or BS colour in a project.
The conversion of Bell St Stables was funded by a £2 million grant from the Scottish Government and support from Glasgow City Council and has since won several awards including the Scottish Design Award in September 2020, the Scottish Home Awards Best Renovation 2020 and the GIA ‘Special’ Conversion Award 2019. It is now being let and managed by Lowther Homes.
