Red Road Flats facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Road Flats
The Eight Red Road Towerblocks in March 2009. All demolished by 2015.
General information
Status	Demolished (Between June 2012–October 2015)
Type	Residential
Architectural style	Brutalist / Modernist
Location	Balornock, Glasgow, Scotland
Address	Tower 1: 10 Red Road Court Tower 2: 33 Petershill Drive Tower 3: 63 Petershill Drive Tower 4: 93 Petershill Drive Tower 5: 123 Petershill Drive Tower 6: 10–30 Petershill Court Tower 7: 153–213 Petershill Drive Tower 8: 21 Birnie Court
Coordinates	55°52′48.54″N 4°12′29.57″W / 55.8801500°N 4.2082139°W / 55.8801500; -4.2082139 (Red Road Flats)
Construction started	1964
Completed	1968
Opening	1966
Demolished	June 2012-October 2015
Cost	£6 million (estimated)
Owner	Glasgow Housing Association
Height
Roof	Point Blocks=89.0 metres (292 ft) Slab Blocks=79.0 metres (259 ft)
Top floor	31
Technical details
Structural system	Steel frame
Floor count	Point Blocks = 31 Slab Blocks = 28
Lifts/elevators	Point Blocks = 2 Slab Blocks = 6
Design and construction
Architect	Sam Bunton & Associates
Developer	Glasgow Corporation
Structural engineer	W A Fairhurst & Partners

The Red Road Flats were a group of tall apartment buildings in Glasgow, Scotland. They were built in the 1960s to provide homes for many people. The complex had eight large blocks, all made with strong steel frames.

These buildings were very tall for their time. Six of them were "point blocks," which were like traditional tower blocks. The other two were "slab blocks," which were wider. The point blocks had 31 floors, and the slab blocks had 28 floors. Together, they were designed to house about 4,700 people.

At 89 metres (292 ft) tall, the point blocks were among the tallest buildings in Glasgow. From the top floors, you could see amazing views of mountains like Ben Lomond and even islands like the Isle of Arran on a clear day. The buildings were so big they could be seen from up to 10 miles (16 kilometres) away! The very top floors were used as shared drying areas for laundry.

The Red Road Flats were well-known high-rise buildings in Glasgow. After many years, they were officially marked for demolition in 2008. They were taken down in stages between 2010 and 2015.

Building the Red Road Flats

In the years after World War II, many parts of Glasgow had old, crowded homes. The city council, then called Glasgow Corporation, wanted to replace these with modern housing. They planned to build new homes on empty land around the city.

The area where the Red Road Flats were built was mostly open land. The first idea for Red Road was to build smaller apartments, only up to 4 storeys high. However, the city architect, Sam Bunton, came up with a much bigger plan. He designed the tall tower blocks to house thousands of people.

When they were finished, the Red Road Flats were some of the tallest apartment buildings in Europe. This was a big achievement at the time, showing how Glasgow was trying to modernize its housing.

Challenges and Changes

Over time, the Red Road Flats faced some challenges. By the 1970s, there were problems like vandalism and other issues. Sometimes, people would throw things from the roofs.

A serious event happened in 1977 when a fire started in an empty flat. This fire caused a lot of damage and sadly, a 12-year-old boy died. Many residents had to leave their homes. This fire also highlighted concerns about the asbestos material used in the buildings. After this, the outside of the towers was updated. As a sign of respect, the flat where the fire happened was never rented out again. Instead, it became a "community flat" for everyone living there to use.

Around 1980, two of the blocks were no longer used for families. One became student housing, and the other was used by the YMCA. These blocks were easy to reach from the city centre, which was helpful for students and guests.

Making Improvements

In the 1980s, new safety measures were added to the flats. Residents could only get into the buildings using special keys and intercoms. There were also concierge staff working all day and night to help residents and keep things safe. These changes helped to reduce problems and make the flats a better place to live.

New Residents: Refugees

By the 1990s, the Red Road Flats became home to people from all over the world. Many refugees from the Kosovo War came to live there. Later, people who had fled from countries in Africa, Asia, and other parts of Europe also found a home in the flats. This made the community very diverse.

Demolition of the Flats

By the early 2000s, the buildings were getting old, and repairs were very expensive. In 2005, the Glasgow Housing Association, which owned the flats, announced that they planned to demolish them. This was part of a bigger plan to improve the area.

Some groups wanted to save the flats, but the decision was made to take them down in stages. The first block was demolished with a controlled explosion on June 10, 2012. It took only six seconds for the huge steel tower to fall! The second block was demolished in May 2013.

In 2014, there was a plan to demolish five of the remaining towers during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The idea was to show the demolition live on TV. However, this plan was cancelled due to safety concerns. Some people also felt it was not respectful to demolish the buildings as entertainment, especially since many people had lived there and had memories of the flats.

The remaining six towers were eventually demolished on October 11, 2015. Most of them fell as planned, but two blocks did not completely collapse. Special equipment was then used to finish taking down the remaining parts of those two buildings.

Images for kids

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  The two most westerly blocks of the complex; 10 Red Road Court (left) and 33 Petershill Drive (centre), were later used as student accommodation and a YMCA, respectively

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  Red Road Flats, view from Broomfield Road, 2012.

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  Graffiti around the flats

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  Demolition site at the Red Road flats

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  153–213 Petershill Drive (view from west, before demolition)