RMJM was approached by Glasgow City Council in December 2005 to create the masterplan for the 2014 Commonwealth Games Athletes Village. The final bid submission for Glasgow was in May 2007. The masterplan site covers approximately 40 hectares and is located in Dalmarnock in the East End of the City. The scheme tackles the regeneration of one of the City's most deprived and socially problematic areas and creates a successful and exciting Games Village accommodating over 7,000 athletes in more than 1,000 new permanent housing units. Facilities such as landscaped areas, an International Zone, a transport hub and a hotel also form part of the Village masterplan. At the heart of the design solution is the Village legacy which considers how the site will develop after the Games are finished to provide a sustainable urban living environment. Additional units, community buildings, transport connections, local facilities and amenities and good quality pedestrian flow will all be integrated into the solution. The Village has been designed to meet the specific needs of the Games and consists of: • A secure residential zone with a number of permanent dwellings that meet sustainability objectives. • An International Zone with a range of temporary buildings that include a shopping complex, entertainment complex, conference rooms, media facilities and a security management centre. • Extensive Village support services which are required by athletes/team officials, including restaurants, team offices, service and travel centres, and of course gym and fitness facilities.
The design concept maximises the proximity to the River Clyde and provides a high proportion of green space, amenity land and water features within the site. It will be divided into 6-8 themed areas based on Scottish glens, clearly signposted and colour coded to aid orientation through the site. The village will be car free with a looped bus service around the Village using electric vehicles and will also have its own extensive transport mall providing regular and frequent bus access to all the Games venues. The Village masterplan incorporates a variety of house types and sizes. They will include 4, 3 and 2 story dwellings, with mix of apartments, townhouses, detached and semi detached houses. This mix of housing types will give maximum flexibility for the Games and be an attractive mix for onward sale and rent after the Games. Ultimately, the masterplan proposes a new inner city housing neighbourhood for Glasgow, maximising the re-use of brownfield land for residential development and amenity use. Post Games, it will provide a mix of private housing for sale or rent, and social housing to meet the needs of the community in the East End of Glasgow. It is the largest and most ambitious of the new housing neighbourhood projects being developed in Glasgow.
