Autumn goes as quickly as it arrives, with greens turning into bright ochres and umbers the season never ceases to amaze me. I love visiting Glasgow’s Burrell Collection at this time, especially as the refurbishment by John McAslan and Partners for Glasgow Life was completed in 2022, after a long closure for construction to future-proof the building. The result is superb, and the project won the RIAS Doolan Award for the best building in Scotland in 2024.
The building originally designed by Barry Gasson and opened in 1983 is a timeless piece of design, pure and simple in its geometry, arrangement of forms and structure. Set against the trees of Pollock Park, the collection is almost an extension of the woodland, displaying its treasures. It’s a pleasure to visit and love how welcoming the new arrangement is, the way light enters the building, and the great flow and order of spaces through the building. It’s up there in my top ten buildings for sure!
There’s so much to enjoy about this building. Usually I have my family or kids with me as in one of the images here, and don’t get much chance to stop and photograph, but I made a few trips whilst working on other commissions for Glasgow Life, determined to capture the last throws of autumn colours and capture some moments inside the building.
