anderson’s
pub & institute
A new institution for this important site in Glasgow’s cultural history.
Merchant Pubs and Bars
Glasgow
Interior Design
Statutory Applications
What Did We do?
Taking on a space that was previously a local institution can be a poisoned chalice. Thankfully it has been some time since the controversial closure of the 13th note, the neighbourhood desperate for the prominent but run-down corner site to be reopened. Anderson’s was never trying to replicate what was here before - be it Ventura in the 90’s or the Victoria before that. Life moves on. But the client understood the significance of the site, keen to build on the live basement venue as a positive addition their existing contributions at BAad and Blackfriars.
Honest
The initial brief was about trying to design somewhere authentic. It’s a hard word to design around but we we tried to be faithful to materials used in traditional pubs, use local leather for upholstery and honest in terms of using what we could from the space: original flooring and wall panelling.
Hand finished
We found some incredible brewery and tobacco advertising from the last 100 years and mixed these with gritty sketches around Glasgow by Liz Reid, Ben Cavanagh, Fiona Fleming, Gerard Burns and Stuart. Bungo Sign Co. put the finishing touches of branding to the windows which contrast against the cafe curtains.
Client Contractor
We had a vision of what the space could be but the client and contractor also have good experience in their chosen fields, so although the final item is pretty close to the early sketches, we worked closely and listened to advice from their side, adapted and ultimately all came out happy with the result.
