The Alexander Thomson Society is pleased to announce an international ideas competition open to architects and students of architecture to celebrate the work of Alexander 'Greek' Thomson, one of Glasgow’s greatest nineteenth century architects. It is being launched to coincide with the Year of Architecture 2016 and culminates in 2017 by an exhibition of selected entries to mark the bicentennial of the architect’s birth. The exhibition will take place in The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture, housed in a Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed building.
The objective of the competition is to invite designs for a contemporary interpretation of Thomson’s ‘Double Villa’, otherwise known as the Villa Maria. Accommodation should be equivalent to that of the semi-detached pair of the original design, and comprise arrangements for sleeping, eating, dining, washing and relaxing which reflect upon a twenty first century lifestyle.
The site selected is located in the district of Pollokshields in the south side of Glasgow. It is a level, triangular piece of land at the junction of Nithsdale Road and Darnley Road. The site is unique in that it is overlooked by the presence of three of Thomson’s buildings, as well as a magnificent semi-circular corner tenement obviously inspired by the architect.
