List of tallest buildings and structures in Glasgow


This List of tallest buildings in Glasgow includes built and planned high-rise buildings in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Faced with crippling housing shortages and overcrowding in the immediate post-war period, the city undertook the building of multi-storey housing in tower blocks in the 1960s and early 1970s on a grand scale, which led to Glasgow becoming the first truly high-rise city in Britain. However, many of these schemes were poorly planned and cheaply constructed, which led to many of the blocks becoming insanitary magnets for crime and deprivation.
It would not be until 1988 that high rises were built in the city once again, with the construction of the 17-storey Forum Hotel next to the SECC. The 20-storey Hilton Hotel in Anderston followed in 1992. From the early 1990s, Glasgow City Council and its successor, the Glasgow Housing Association, have run a programme of demolishing the worst of the residential tower blocks, including Basil Spence's Gorbals blocks in 1993.
The current tallest structure in Glasgow at 127 metres, is the Glasgow Tower within the Glasgow Science Centre, however as this is an observation tower - not strictly speaking a building, then the 26-storey Balgrayhill tower blocks in Springburn area claim the title.
The tallest building ever to have stood in Glasgow was the 91.44m Tait Tower in Bellahouston, built for the Empire Exhibition of 1938, but pulled down the following year.
Since the late 1990s, property developers have been planning new upmarket residential and office high-rises along the River Clyde, and in the city's financial district, which would far surpass these in height.

Glasgow skyline

The term "tallest building in Glasgow" is itself ambiguous. Currently, two structures in the city have made a claim for the title depending on which measurement is used:
The tallest building within the city centre is the 17-storey St. Andrew House on Sauchiehall Street, originally an office block but now a Premier Inn hotel.

Tallest buildings in Glasgow

Other notable tall structures

Buildings with a Wikipedia article and over 50 metres in height.
NameImageHeightCoordinatesFloorsYearPrimary useNotes
Cathkin Braes wind turbine
2013Wind turbine
Glasgow Cathedral1197Cathedral
St Andrew's West Church1852Church
Anniesland Court01.0241968ResidentialTallest listed building in Scotland. Only tower block to have a Category A listing in Glasgow. Located in Anniesland.
Cineworld162001CinemaTallest Cinema complex in the world.
Argyle Building01.0202008Residential
St Columba Church1904Cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral1893Cathedral
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital142015Hospital
Crowne Plaza Glasgow171989HotelPart of the SECC.
Finnieston Crane1931Cantilever crane
Elmbank Gardens151973Hotel
Livingstone Tower171965UniversityPart of the University of Strathclyde.

Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed

Approved

NameHeight
FloorsYear Primary UseLocationNotes
366 Cathedral Street23Student ResidenceTownhead
Atlantic Square Building 110OfficeIFSD
Atlantic Square Building 27OfficeIFSD

Proposed

Top 10 in Order of Height
Building NameHeightFloorsMain UsageOther Usage
Savoy Centre Towers32Mixed-
Jumeirah Hotel24HotelResidential
Custom House Quay25HotelResidential
Sky Plaza16Residential-
10–16 Dixon Street14ResidentialRetail
Homes for the Future phase 213Residential-
Central Quay Phase 510OfficeRetail
145 St Vincent Street10Office-
Atlantic Square12Office-
Building 3 Atlantic Quay10Office-
St Andrews Wharf Residential11Residential-

Unbuilt

NameHeightFloorsYearNotes
East One55
Cheapside Tower 150
Cheapside Tower 250
Cheapside Tower 340
Elphinstone Place39Cancelled due to the 2008 Financial crisis. Now the site of the new Scottish Power HQ.
Elmbank Tower28
Glasgow Harbour Tower30
Elphinstone Urban Village Tower 127
Graving Docks Tower 121
Elphinstone Urban Village Tower 220

Demolished