Shettleston Housing Association Offices

The creation of Shettleston Housing Association’s Office involved the adaptive restoration of the Cooperative Hall; a historically, culturally and architecturally significant building within Shettleston, to create new office and public reception space which will afford the Association the opportunity to further expand the scope of their service and community work.
The new build extension has been sited and designed to acknowledge the mass of the existing building and in terms of its elevational treatment, provides a formal response which is drawn directly from the vertical rhythm of the stripped neoclassical sandstone facade.

The materials used are contemporary and purposefully distinct from the existing building to celebrate the reinvigoration of the offices, taking a marked step away from architectural moves which can appear as a pastiche of the original. They are strong and robust in character and an appropriate response for a building from which the Association will operate for decades to come.
In both the refurbished and new build elements of the project the new internal environment is one which has been arranged to afford all building users the maximum opportunity to access natural light and ventilation. A stripped pallett of high quality materials, finish and attention to detail ensures that an inviting and comfortable environment is provided for both the organisation’s staff and Client base.
The project seeks to act as a beacon and driver for investment in this historically deprived area of Glasgow and to provide a home from where the Association can effectively work and serve the local community.

The Association has had its offices at 65 Pettigrew Street since 1990 in what was originally the headquarters of the Shettleston Co-operative Society. What were once modern facilities in 1990 were no longer 20 years later and the Association's growth from 700 houses and 14 staff to 2,300 houses and 45 staff meant they were no longer adequate for our purposes. In particular our reception area was too small, our interview arrangements inadequate and our disabled access provision very poor.

The Association decided to modernise and extend its existing offices over an adjacent car park. We believe that remaining in Pettigrew Street, in the heart of our area, is important for our service to the community.

We believe that these offices are second to none in this City. We have focussed on providing the highest quality of facilities for tenants and we firmly believe that the building we now have meets those high standards. Our new offices are light, bright and open. The extension is stunning in its simplicity. We have made extensive use of glass to achieve an open and welcoming environment. Visitors can see staff at work as they move through the building and the public and non-public areas interact with one another to reinforce the sense of openness and transparency. More than simply office space, Helen McGregor House adds to the regeneration of this part of Shettleston.