Connexity

Connexity is a major urban project in Glasgow; its ambition is to reconnect isolated parts of the city in the city’s east end.  We worked closely with city planners and regeneration officers in determining the scale and scope of the possibilities.
The backbone of the redevelopment is a five star hotel stretching across the width of the river Clyde above an existing disused railway bridge. The hotel’s striking façade of undulating metal louvers echoes the river below and the industrial history of the city. The 215 rooms overlook the river and offer exclusive views over Glasgow.

The construction and the running of the hotel do not prevent the currently disused railway coming back into service. In order to improve the North-South connection, a generous walkway is created on the existing bridge alongside a future railway.

On the Northern bank, a 100m high tower acts as a counterpoint to the horizontal part of the hotel above the river. It provides the hotel with a grand entrance into the city and offers four floors of serviced apartments and two floors for a panoramic restaurant and bar.

With the addition of two office towers sitting on a plinth of retail, an urban composition of new squares and buildings emerges, allowing the whole development to redefine the urban fabric and to reconnect with the city centre.
The project was halted with the financial crash in 2008.