The facade of the Italian Centre in Ingram Street, 2003. The rooftop statue facing south down Glassford Street is Italia, one of several sculptures by Alexander Stoddart associated with the project.
Opened in 1991, the Italian Centre was designed by Page & Park Architects, whose offices are located in the complex. The design is base on an Italian-style palazzo, with residential flats, offices, cafes and exclusive retail outlets grouped around a central courtyard. Many famous brands are here, including Versace Collections (the UK's first Versace store) and Emporio Armani.
The Italian Centre was one of the first developments in an ongoing regeneration and redevelopment of the Merchant City area into a fashionable "urban village" of designer shops, clubs and restaurants. The project has won a number of awards, including the 1995 Best Practice Award of the British Urban Regeneration Association.
Reference: Illustrations vol 48, p 5
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
awards, Best Practice Award, British Urban Regeneration Association, cafes, Emporio Armani, flats, Italia, Italian Centre, offices, Page & Park, sculptures, shopping centres, shops, statues, Versace Collections