St Mungo’s Church, Cumbernauld (Church of Scotland)
Alan Reiach, 1963. Grade B Listed.
Cumbernauld was a sleepy village just to the north-west of Glasgow until town planners, seeking to decant the bombed-out and slum-dwelling population of that city, decided to make it into one of Scotland’s five new towns. Cumbernauld dates from 1955, with the first new housing available from 1958. It is famous for being designed as a completely modernist “megacity”, with a town centre on top of a small hill and everything you might need in one place: shops, library, community centre, college, hotel, surrounded by satellite housing. St Mungo’s Church was the brave religious element, a square, glowing copper pyramid just a few steps from the centre. It was something to be proud of. The church could hold 800. Sadly, an arson attack a year ago has ruined it. As for Cumbernauld itself, the design nearly worked, but now it looks old and tired, run-down. It will probably be replaced before long.
Alan Reiach was a controversial architect. This church worked, as did his other church in Cumbernauld, at Kildrum. However, a number of his other buildings were frankly terrible. The most (in)famous eyesore is his Appleton Tower at the University of Edinburgh. It is said that the best view of Edinburgh can be had from the top of the tower, largely because it is one of the few places in the city centre where you cannot actually see the Appleton Tower.
Swiss Cottage Library, London
Sir Basil Spence, 1963-64. Grade II Listed.
This library was originally designed to be part of a modernist civic centre complex in this suburb of Camden. However, this and the adjacent swimming pool were the only parts built. The swimming pool was vast and always freezing cold (I know, I learned to swim there). I am not surprised that it was demolished and replaced by a Terry Farrell job. However, I remember using the library as a child; I liked it then and I like it now. It is a cigar-shaped building with the projecting fins providing a diffuse light into the building; the library is up on the first floor, and there is at least one signature Spence spiral staircase to get you there.
BOAC Building, 85 Buchanan Street, Glasgow
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, 1968-70. Grade B Listed.
Set among the fine Victorian and Edwardian sandstone of Glasgow’s city centre, this was designed as the BOAC (a constituent part of British Airways) office and travel centre, and rather stands out with its steelwork and copper cladding. It is now a clothing shop. A decent, regular, usable building (unlike the Mackintosh Lighthouse building in the vennel behind it). On a busy street, this will always find a use. Despite being almost 60 years old, the building still looks good; I’m glad we have got it.