QUEENS PARK GLASSHOUSE
For 130 years, the Queen’s Park Glasshouses have been a cherished landmark in Glasgow’s Southside. However, they now require significant structural repairs and a series of upgrades to their facilities and services to ensure they remain fit for future use and can continue to benefit the people who visit them.
History
The Glasshouses are situated on the southern side of Queens Park which was itself opened in 1852 as Glasgow’s third dedicated public, created to serve the growing community of the Southside. Work began on the Glasshouses in 1895 by the Office of Public Works with ironwork by Simpson and Farmer Horticultural Builders of Glasgow. Never intended for public enjoyment, the glasshouses were initially designed to propagate and nurture bedding plants in large quantities for use across the city’s green spaces. Within three years of opening, it became clear that members of the public had an expectation of entry, and that rather than just plant sheds, the complex was in fact viewed as being the southside’s own Winter Garden.
The building was open to the public right up until 2017 when concerns over the safety of the dome on the south entrance front forced the building’s closure. The dome was taken down and stored by NRS in 2020. The gardens around the glasshouse were reopened in August 2022.
The Project
Glasgow Building Preservation Trust was approached by Glasgow City Council Neighbourhoods, Regeneration & Sustainability to develop a feasibility study investigating the restoration and sustainable long-term use of Queens Park Glasshouse.
The Queens Park Working Group was established in 2021 to review the wider park and structures. This study will be restricted to the listed Glass House structure and its curtilage.
As part of the study, GBPT and Queen’s Park Neighbourhoods conducted a community consultation on the future of the glasshouses which garnered over 230 responses. GBPT staff presented the findings from the consultation survey at a drop-in information and feedback session at the Glasshouses in April 2025. They explained how the feedback collected, along with ongoing discussions with project stakeholders, had helped shape the proposed designs. The event also provided an opportunity for attendees to share additional thoughts and suggestions on the design proposals.
The feedback GBPT received from the members of the community was overwhelmingly supportive of the redevelopment proposals, particularly the aspirations to restore the dome, to introduce growing spaces for community organisations and to host more events in the facility.
Project Team
Funders
- Glasgow City Council
- Glasgow City Heritage Trust
- Scotland’s Rural College
- Architectural Heritage Fund