| Garden Festival 'zone' | Science and Technology |
| Sponsor, if appropriate | SSEBHunterian |
| Type of object | Pavilion, building or other structure |
| Current situation | Destroyed |
| Notes | Architects: Bruce, Patience and Wernham. Landscaping: ASH Environmental Design Partnership. The Crystal Pavilion was the brainchild of the Hunterian's Graham Durant, who had been pursuing the idea of a Science Centre for Glasgow and saw an opportunity for a small-scale trial of the idea. Inspired by the form of crystals of Copper Sulphate, the design was groundbreaking both in form and in execution - this was the first time resin-fixed glass panels had been used for the skin of a substantial structure (the next large-scale use being in Foster & Partners' 8 Canada Square ten years later). |
Graham Durant’s personal files on the Crystal Pavilionsurvive at the Hunterian. I’ve always though they might be of long term interest, so have tried to preserve them. They inlcude photos, letters, adminstrative stuff, publicity materials, press stuff etc… if somebody wants to scan, or examine them, that would be great…
In the first instance, we’d really like to see them. It’d be a great opportunity to flesh out our record of the Crystal Pavilion. We’ll be in touch – thanks very much for volunteering the info!
Hello
I am Graham Durant formerly of the Hunterian Museum and now Director of Questacon, Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre. I know a few things about the Crystal Pavilion and its content. I am happy to write an account about the Crystal Pavilion. The original aim was to put on display tanks of crystal gardens. There was no building available so a building had to be created. This work meant that the original idea received much less attention than it should. Although the original aim was to relocate the Pavilion at the end of the Garden Festival, sadly no opportunity came forward and following the breakage of some of the glass panels a decision was made to demolish the pavilion. Perhaps one legacy from the Garden Festival was the Glasgow Dome of Discovery which I set up in the South Rotunda and this ran from 1990-1992. It was a precursor of the Glasgow Science Centre which opened in 2001 a project in which I was also involved. The BBC film from the opening ceremony features the Crystal Pavilion for quite a few minutes while Prince Charles and Princess Diana were inside.
Graham
Graham, thanks for all this information, and for taking the time to provide it. Enough for us, sadly (as you say) to be able to confidently record the Crystal Pavilion as having been destroyed. It’s also very useful in highlighting the Dome of Discovery – a partial sucessor to the Garden Festival that has dropped from view over the years, and it’s interesting to hear of your role in this and the consequent Science Centre of today. (The information also has a bearing on our record of the South Rotunda, of course.) Furthermore, you’ve prompted a look into the Dome of Discovery itself, which led to finding this video which features a view of the Garden Festival site that changes our knowledge of the demolition process – it appears to have been a far more staged process than we were hitherto aware. Thank you again!
Can give you comprehensive report on how the project came to fruition following initial contact with Graham Durant. Its main claim to fame was the first building in the UK to be constructed with bonded glass panels and a forerunner to the HSBC headquarters in London dock lands. Early drawings, construction photos and professional magazine reviews available.
That’s great, Iain – will send you an email. Thanks!
Hi there, just found this site… I was Contract Director with Capital Aluminimum Systems Ltd. Based in Bandeath I E Stirling who built the Crystal Pavilian. The M.D. Ian Linn worked on this project for a whole year, doing all the drawings and working out all the actual sizes of the toughened glass panel of glass and the Dow Corning silicone to make it waterproof. Ian (deceased now) is shown on your first photograph in the white hard hat. I have a few pics, stickers and brochures that I could send you for your achive.
Capital Aluminium also installed the Glass Pyramid in the Garden Festival and re- installed it two years later in Gateshead.
Eddy – great to hear from you; I’ll reply by email.