The scheme involved the redevelopment of the college’s sites on Cathedral Street and at Thistle Street to provide two campuses together capable of catering for 40,000 students and 1,200 staff.

Through our Capital Ventures department, we led the consortium awarded the contract to design, construct, finance and maintain the campuses under a 25-year concession, using our project management, planning and procurement expertise to help get the project off to a flying start.

As developer, Capital Ventures provided equity and financing in line with the Client’s requirements. As well as acting as main contractor, we also managed the fit-out and the college's migration into the new buildings.

Uniting staff and students from multiple locations, together the campuses house everything from TV studios, kitchens and sports facilities to a shipping simulation suite and a jet fuselage.

With a migration plan that covered everything down to files on desks, we made the transition into the new buildings smooth and trouble-free. So staff and students were ready to get started – right from the first day of term.

Since opening, Capital Ventures manages the building through a joint venture to ensure the facilities are maintained to the award winning high standard.

Realising the vision

The college wanted its students to have the highest quality learning experience. We embraced the challenge, delivering technology rich, award-winning campuses.
Design expertise

At City Campus the challenge included delivering the very high quality standards required to successfully achieve the building's clean and stripped back minimalist look.
Design expertise

Moving all the specialist equipment into the campuses in time for the start of the academic year required forensic planning. At City Campus we started two years in advance, working with staff to assess their equipment and storage needs. Then we developed a highly detailed migration strategy, to make sure that the move went without a hitch.

Building skills

We look to create opportunities for young people within the communities we work in.

Working with the Prince’s Trust and the college, we delivered a six-week ‘Get Into Construction’ course at our Riverside site.

Ten participants were selected from more than 250 young applicants, receiving Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards after rigorous off-site skills training and health and safety sessions. Once certified, they put their skills to the test with two weeks' experience with subcontractors on site.

The outcome: all ten young people were offered jobs.

Interior of the seven-storey atrium at Riverside Campus

This seven-storey atrium is the entrance to the most modern, the most technologically advanced, the most future-proofed maritime campus of all the 230 such colleges anywhere in the world.
Paul Little City of Glasgow College Principal, at the opening of Riverside Campus

Interior of the atrium at Riverside Campus

Developing Value

We helped the College achieve their vision through the establishment of a long-term partnership, centred on the student experience and realising added value for all parties.

Specifically, we did this by:

Building relationships by listening and repeating our understanding back.
Proving our design was education led and solution focussed.
Offering a competitive price and accepted risk.

Awards

Glasgow Institute of Architects

Design Award
Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards

Silver (2016)
Scottish Property Awards

Development of the Year (Public Buildings) and Architectural Excellence (Public Use) Awards

Education projects

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Region: South West

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