A City Touched By Rain

The effect rain has on the urban fabric of Glasgow is unmistakable. I decided on this topic because I was interested in finding out, through observation and drawing, if intentional and unintentional reactions to rain can be read on the facades of some of the city’s most common typologies.

I have documented weathering and staining produced by rain and water on three types of housing. A classic 19th century sandstone tenement building in Hyndland, the 1930’s Kelvin Court housing estate in Anniesland and a block of post war pre-fab housing in Laurieston. These three examples symbolise different building materials, epochs and construction technologies.

Through this simple exercise I have come to realise just how severely rain affects the built environment in a city like Glasgow. There really is no escape from it. Any junction, protruding detail or shift in material will over time show the effects of this type of climate, wether it be staining, erosion or moss build up.

Taking into account the effect rain will have in the long term seems to be essential in order to design a building which will age gracefully in a city like Glasgow.

 

Key Themes: Weathering, Materiality, Historical Development