Designed by Scottish architecture practice Collective Architecture, Phase One of The Victoria marks the beginning of the transformation of Glasgow’s former Victoria Infirmary Hospital site into a new residential neighbourhood. Delivered for housing association Sanctuary Scotland, this initial phase provides 136 new homes across four new buildings. It forms part of a wider masterplan for the 3.75-hectare site, which will deliver more than 400 homes alongside retail space and an expanded public realm.
The former hospital site is being developed across three phases and includes new public routes, green space, and a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, creating a new residential district with shared amenities.
Context and location
The Victoria is located in Battlefield, within the historic district of Langside on the south side of Glasgow city centre, adjacent to Queen’s Park. The completion of Phase One establishes a new civic frontage along Battlefield Road and Grange Road, introducing new-build homes for social rent and shared equity.
The development sits alongside the retained sandstone Nightingale pavilions, formerly hospital wards, bringing contemporary housing into dialogue with the site’s existing fabric while maintaining generous public space between buildings.
Architectural approach and masterplan
The architectural approach draws on the original 1883 hospital masterplan by the Scottish architects Campbell, Douglas and Sellars, responding to the historic pavilion layout and the spatial relationships between buildings. Designed as a pavilion hospital, the masterplan arranged wards as discrete buildings set within landscaped grounds, with spacing and orientation shaped by the principles of pavilion planning. This structure informed the organisation of routes, open spaces, and new residential buildings across The Victoria site.
As part of this process, later unsympathetic additions were removed, allowing original edges, vistas, and balconies to be re-established. This has supported the introduction of new residential buildings while maintaining continuity with the site’s historic character.
Phase One: new buildings and materials
In Phase One, four new buildings are positioned to define transitions between public routes and more private residential areas. The material palette responds to the original hospital buildings and the surrounding tenement context, combining tonally varied brickwork with large-format metal panels that articulate massing and mark key corners.
Balconies, terraces, colonnades, and lanterns are integrated into the elevations, contributing to street-level activity and referencing architectural elements found across the historic hospital complex.
Future phases and regeneration
Phase Two encompasses the repurposing of the Nightingale buildings and the completion of a new public route through the site to Queen’s Park. This phase sets the framework for the third and final stage, located adjacent to the Langside Battlefield Memorial. The final phase will incorporate the Category B listed administration building, completing the long-term redevelopment of the former hospital site and its transition into a new residential neighbourhood within Glasgow’s south side.
Sustainability considerations
Collective Architecture addressed the project’s sustainability needs by focusing on material restraint, fabric performance, and long-term durability. A limited material palette helped streamline construction and reduce complexity, while a well-insulated and airtight envelope supports warm and healthy internal conditions. The emphasis on robust, repairable materials reflects the building’s role as long-term affordable housing, with design decisions shaped by regulatory requirements and the practicalities of ongoing maintenance.
