May 2017 celebrates a decade since Collective Architecture became an employee owned co-operative and twenty years since the formation of the original practice Chris Stewart Architects.

Over the last ten years, Collective Architecture has grown from 12 to 42 employees and in 2015 an additional office in Edinburgh was opened to serve our projects on the East Coast and deliver wider community benefits.

When setting up the original Glasgow based practice Chris Stewart Architects, the guiding principles were collaboration and working with communities. Much of the practice’s work was with housing associations and community groups, driven by involving people and giving them the buildings they were looking for that would stand the test of time. 

The Titan Crane in Clydebank is just one testament to this ethos. With its humble beginnings as a public lighting project helping to highlight an important symbol of the River Clyde’s industrial heritage, the company oversaw its renewal into an international award-winning visitor attraction. The crane was saved for the local community and now attracts people from all over the world to the riverside.

Titan Crane Vistor Centre, Clydebank (2007)

In 2007 Chris transferred ownership of the practice to an Employee Benefit Trust, giving each member of the trust an equal share in the company. This mutual structure is also reflected in the day-to-day running of the practice.

After 10 years as a co-operative architecture firm, Collective Architecture has gone from strength to strength, with an increase in staff and a diversification in projects. Whilst completing numerous multi-million pound regeneration projects in areas including Linwood, Stranraer, Dumfries, Cumbria and Newcastle, Collective Architecture is still grounded in an ethos of nurturing community initiatives such as with the Tayport Community Hub which was recently awarded Big Lottery Funding.

Tayport Community Hub

Today, the practice is overseeing a number of exciting and radical developments across the UK. In Edinburgh, Collective Architecture is creating a new gallery and restaurant for Collective Gallery at Calton Hill, Edinburgh; a UNESCO world heritage site. And another culturally significant project is underway in Glasgow as the Glasgow Women’s library, the only Accredited Museum dedicated to women’s history in the whole of the UK, is entering a further next two phases which include specialist stone restoration and a new entrance way, having already picked up multiple awards for the first phase of the project.

Calton Hill Gallery and Resturant - Currently on site

The staple of the office, it’s housing projects are seeing another flagship project currently under construction is the refurbishment of three, multi-story tower blocks at Cedar Court, Glasgow. Designed to achieve the Passivehouse EnerPHit standard for retrofit, the project questions the current practice of demolishing many high-rise residential buildings and aims to reduce fuel poverty for residents of the 314 flats originally built in the 1960s. At the other end of the scale a residential conversion, the former Bell Street Cleansing Department in Glasgow’s Merchant City, has recently commenced on site and will see it gain new life in its transformation from a stable block and offices to 52 flats for Glasgow Housing Association.

Bell Street Stables - Currently on site  (April 2017)

Cedar Court Multi Stories - Currently on site

The practice has become an industry leader, handling many particularly sensitive projects. Collective Architecture continues to look outwards from Scotland and embraces a collaborative working practice, with and for many diverse clients, users and residents.

Collective Architecture asked some clients and colleagues to talk about what the practice has meant to them over the last decade.

‘a natural ally for any client’ I have commissioned Collective Architecture to undertake more than six projects in less than three years, and have been consistently impressed by the energy, intellect and resilience, that the practice injects into every project and every project team. Whether working in Scotland, the North West, the North East, the Midlands and the South East, the practice have won over residents, co-opted potentially sceptical external and internal stakeholders, and promoted design innovation to potentially weary, risk averse local authorities and funders.

Collective Architecture is not a factory, its practice culture is supportive and encourages all its staff to participate fully in the design process and the running of the firm.  This cooperative ethos permeates the practice. As a client, this means that no matter who manages the project, or answers the phone, they are invested in the project’s success and you are guaranteed a proactive response.

As Collective Architecture have grown and diversified they have maintained and cultured their unique approach to practice.  They appear equally at home enabling arts-led methods to exhibition, city curation and heritage, as developing cost-effective, evidence-based responses to challenging design briefs for those suffering from mental health, fuel-poverty or a lack of affordable housing.

Collective Architecture make a natural ally for any client interested in promoting design quality, social sustainability or cost-effective delivery and management.  Their design process inspires confidence in tenants and communities, and results in robust, characterful and rewarding buildings that result from a diligent, patient and critical reading of place, client need and artistic potential.

Dhruv Adam Sookhoo,

Visiting Lecturer and ESRC Doctoral Candidate, Newcastle University., former Head of Design, Home Group.

Collective aim to go beneath the surface, engaging creatively with communities to get to the core of a project.

David Cook

Cook Creative Ltd

‘rare blend of enthusiasm’  Glasgow Women’s Library have had the pleasure of working with the Collective Architecture team on two significant and distinct projects; a major renovation of a B listed Carnegie Library, GWL’s new home and the Empire Café project. Although very different, Collective have brought to each their rare blend of enthusiasm, ambitions for design excellence, responsiveness and a willingness to genuinely listen to clients requests and feedback and bring plans to the table that imaginatively and creatively reflect these.

The Glasgow Women’s Library relocation and renovation project has involved huge complexity, in design, working with a Design Team, the demands of staff and Board at GWL and funding challenges and have dealt with all of this with a resilient, positive and professional approach, always willing to work harder, seek creative solutions and go the extra mile for us.  

Adele Patrick, 

Lifelong Learning and Creative Development Manager, Glasgow Women’s Library.

‘a quiet determination to find a solution’ Collective Architecture led the Design Team. We didn’t want little boxes. We wanted buildings that would become a landmark for the local area. We wanted the “WOW!” factor. And Collective Architecture delivered.

It was a major achievement to make sure that everyone involved had the same goal - to create a quality product that we could all be proud of. Despite all the pressures of such a large, difficult development and the financial climate at that time, Collective kept everyone focused on the task at hand. Each problematic issue was methodically examined and there was a quiet determination to find a solution.

We do not operate a strict 9am – 5pm regime. We often visit residents in the evenings and our Committee meetings are in the evenings. Collective were always willing to work to our requirements and to spend time with Committee Members and residents. More than anything, they demonstrated a concern for our community and for the people who live in our houses. That was very important to us.

Those were the “soft” skills, the intangible stuff. Equally important was the physical development, the houses themselves. We got what we wanted. Blochairn Place brings a sense of pride to the community. It is now a landmark. Built around a common courtyard, it has its own character and there is a community spirit amongst residents. We could have let the rented houses 10 times over and we sold 31 houses in, what is considered to be, a deprived part of north Glasgow.

Blochairn Place deservedly won “Scottish Development of the Year 2011” at the Herald Property Awards. A magnificent achievement, especially as we were competing against many “luxury” private developments. Collective Architecture’s contribution cannot be overstated.   

Michael Carberry

Director, Blochairn Housing Association.

‘generous of spirit, flexible, intelligent and hugely capable’  I’ve worked closely with Collective Architecture on a variety of projects over recent years, from the exhibition design of the Gillespie, Kidd and Coia retrospective at the Lighthouse to Points of Contact, an expansive public commission of my own work in Dunfermline and even the renovation and re-design of my own flat. I’ve found them to be generous of spirit, flexible, intelligent and hugely capable.

There is something about the way the office is structured, and the open-mindedness of the individuals therein, that makes it immediately accessible and comfortable for artists and those working in other creative fields. A practice-wide ability to deal sensitively with both challenging contexts and interdisciplinary content has always resulted in great outcomes and in my experience Collective’s thoroughness and integrity has always ensured a commitment to aesthetic quality, no matter what the constraints of a particular project might be. I wholeheartedly recommend them.

Toby Paterson

Artist

‘The working relationship has been remarkable’   The working relationship that we have had with Collective Architecture, while redeveloping the iconic City Observatory on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, has been remarkable. Their understanding of the way in which architecture relates to heritage, contemporary art and landscape is exemplary.

Kate Gray

Director, Collective (Contemporary visual arts organisation)

‘Their imagination knew no bounds’  It was an experience working with Collective in 2004 to design a recycling centre for Bute from recycled materials. Their imagination knew no bounds; from old doors to old paint to recycled cathedral like windows from old wine bottles! They carried that on when designing the Old Courthouse in the centre of Rothesay which comprised part new build, part refurbishment and a façade retention the like of which Rothesay had never seen before. It now sits comfortably on its site as if it had always been there.

Well done on reaching your 20th birthday, it has always been a pleasure working with you.

Peter McDonald

Project manager, Argyll and Bute Council

‘Goes beyond what is normally expected’  I have now worked with Collective Architecture on a number of projects over the past 7 years and without exception, their attention to design detail and striving to meeting client requirements goes beyond what is normally expected of an architect team. This is evident in the design quality of the finished product.

The Red Tree Bridgeton Business Suites was completed in February 2013 and exceeded letting expectations in the first year due to the unique, high quality, architectural look and feel of the facility and the Glasgow Women’s Library has picked up multiple awards since its completion in 2015.

Audrey Carlin

Executive Director, WASPS

‘a significant milestone’  Congratulations to all at Collective Architecture an reaching your 20/10th anniversary. The range and diversity of projects with which the practice has been involved over this time is very impressive, as is the commitment to improving the lives of communities across Scotland.  A great achievement for everyone at Collective Architecture and a significant milestone for the practice!

Ian Gilzean

Chief Architect, Planning and Architecture, Scottish Government

Collective put people at the heart of their buildings and at the heart of their business. 

Tony Dunworth

Managing Director, Graphical House

It has been my pleasure to collaborate with Collective Architecture on a number of projects over the last seven years or so, and over that time I've been hugely impressed by their unfailing enthusiasm and dedication to the task in hand.  Their commitment to community consultation, sustainability, contemporary design, and best practice in conservation is complemented by the extent of voluntary initiatives the company undertakes.  Furthermore, everyone is great fun to work with!

Fiona Sinclair

Fiona Sinclair Architect, FRIAS Advanced Conservation Accreditation

Can I write something anecdotal about Collective? Maybe something worthy on the history of co-operatives, on democratising the work place, or militant ecological agendas. Instead, here is a greeting…a toast to 2017, the hundredth anniversary of the Russian Revolution!

“But this is only the general outline of the task; it does not define and depict in detail the entire content of the practical task, i.e., we must find what form of ‘bonus’ to give for joining the co-operatives (and the terms on which we should give it), the form of the bonus by which we will assist the co-operatives sufficiently, the form of bonus that will produce the civilised co-operator. And given social ownership of the means of production, given the class victory of the proletariat over the bourgeoisie, the system of civilised co-operators is the system of socialism:   V.I. Lenin, On Co-Operation, 1923. ”

Dr Jonathan Charley

Director of Cultural Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Strathclyde