Cumbernauld Town Centre
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Eastern end of the penthouse spine
Hugh de Burgh Galwey Download Original
Designed as the centre-point both geographically and socially in the new town of Cumbernauld, the town centre houses almost everything the inhabitants need, including shops, banks, a sports centre and some accommodation
Cumbernauld is an example of a modernist utopian town, reflected in this town centre. The development is widely considered to be the UK's first shopping mall.
The use of board-marked concrete is prominent while the entire structure is raised from the ground using columns giving it physical significance within the town.
The building was originally meant to be constructed over three stages, but construction was halted after just one. This meant that some staircases that were meant to ascend to parts of the building planned for later construction instead led to nowhere.
A revised expansion was eventually implemented in 2004, ending a forty year wait for the second stage of construction.
Data
- Begun: 1955
- Completed: 1967
- Floor area: 15,000m2
- Sectors: Public realm, Retail
- Total cost: £2M
- Tender date: 1955
- Address: Town Centre, Cumbernauld, Glasgow, G67 1NB, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Dudley Leaker
- Project architects: Dudley Leaker, G. Copcutt, John Ogg, Neil Dadge, P. Aitken
- Client: Cumbernauld Development Corporation
- Structural engineer: Oscar Faber & Partners
- Quantity surveyor: Douglas Macgowan
- Main contractor: Duncan Logan Ltd