The Part and the Whole: Implementing Masterplans in Glasgow's New Gorbals

Abstract

Urban design often involves relating ‘parts’ (e.g. individual actions, buildings or building designs) to a larger ‘whole’ (i.e. urban form and urban place). By relating and mediating ‘urban space design’ and ‘architectural/building design', masterplans are a means to do this. The recent emergence of an explicit urban design policy agenda in the UK has restored masterplans to a position of prominence, with recent years having seen significant increase in their use in urban development and regeneration. Exploring the ‘mechanics’ of masterplans, this paper focuses on the relationship between process and outcome and seeks to open up what might otherwise be treated as a ‘black box’. To ground the discussion, the paper evaluates two illustrative examples of contemporary masterplanning: Crown Street and Queen Elizabeth Square, each located in Glasgow's Gorbals.