Wildlife garden

On the path between the QM and the Adam Smith building (where I have my office) is this little bit of land, and I’m embarrassed to say (having now been at the university for 4 years) that I only noticed a couple of weeks ago that it is a wildlife garden. I’m really not sure if it’s OK to just wander round or if you have to just look from the path. The other weekend I visited the campus at Stirling University, which was full of trees and landscaping and was lovely (though a bit out in the sticks). Our green space isn’t quite so impressive, but we do at least have these little patches of green (and yellow and brown by the look of the falling leaves).

QM

The Queen Margaret Union (known to all as the QM) is one of Glasgow University’s two student unions. The building features gig space, bar, cafe, and shop amongst other things. I have to say, it’s not among the university’s finest features. I do use the shop a fair bit though – it’s midway between my office and my department, so visiting it is a good way of staggering the hill a bit!

Men at work

I took this a couple of weeks ago and already the building work has proceeded a lot – I noticed a fancy spiral staircase inside the building a couple of days ago. This glass structure is being tacked onto the back of the university library, and I understand it will be housing, amongst other things, a coffee bar where the Document Delivery Service used to be. The work has been going on all summer (and driving me nuts, as my office looks out onto the building work and the constant drilling has been rather trying!), I had assumed that it was due to be finished before the start of term, but here we are in week 2 and they’re still going strong.

Sky and lines

This is the view looking up in the atrium of the Wolfson Building (Medical School) of Glasgow University. It’s a great space due to the masses of natural light. The sky hasn’t been this colour this week, sadly – this was taken a few weeks ago.

Gingerbread House?

This little building which is behind the St Enoch subway entrance used to be (if I remember rightly) a travel centre. As you can see it’s now been taken over by Caffe Nero. It always reminds me of a gingerbread house, I’m a bit worried there might be a wicked witch behind the counter!

I’m away for a couple of days on a training thingy, but magic pictures will still appear.

Argyle Street flowers

Although it’s starting to turn cold now, the city’s flower displays are still hanging on in there. This colourful display is along Argyle Street.

Ubiquitous Chip

The Ubiquitous Chip is a restaurant in Ashton Lane in the West End. This is part of the sign outside the restaurant’s bar. If you look very carefully you can see my reflection!

Rooflines

The yellow roof here is from the brand spanking new building of Scottish Ballet, tacked onto the Tramway Theatre (the pointy rooves on the left). The ballet company was supposed to take up residence in part of the Tramway, but in 2006 that part of the building suddenly collapsed (fortunately someone from the Tramway noticed it was about to happen and had the foresight to run out and stop cars from driving up Pollokshaws Road, and so averted what could have been a very serious accident). Rather than rebuild it as it was, they’ve come up with a totally modern replacement. I must be honest, I don’t like it at all, and don’t expect it to date well. Hopefully the art created inside the building will be more sublime than the building itself.

Boyd Orr

As well as dreaming spires, Glasgow University has its fair share of concrete carbuncles. When the sky is blue though it does make the concrete look marginally less hideous. This is the tower of the Boyd Orr building, which houses teaching rooms and lecture theatres.

Turning leaves

This is the tower from Glasgow University’s Main Building, taken from University Gardens. However what I was particularly wanting to highlight the leaves turning from green to yellow. I do generally like autumn, but I would prefer it if we’d actually had a summer!