Glasgow Metropolitan College

Former North Hanover Street Campus with the Met Tower featuring prominently

The College had five campuses within the city the largest being in the city centre at North Hanover Street. The Glasgow College of Building had a presence on this site since 1927 although its iconic high rise tower building (later known as the Met Tower) was constructed in 1964.[2]

It was announced in 2008 that the College would participate in the creation of a 'super campus' to be built by 2012 and based in Glasgow city centre. This will be the largest college development project ever in the UK and will also be one of the largest in Europe.[3]

The five campuses were all located within the City of Glasgow;

• North Hanover Street Campus, 60 North Hanover Street, Glasgow, G1 2BP (55.8626°N 4.2489°W / 55.8626; -4.2489 (Glasgow Metropolitan College, North Hanover Street Campus))
• Cathedral Street Campus, 230 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G1 2TG (55.8634°N 4.2463°W / 55.8634; -4.2463 (Glasgow Metropolitan College, Cathedral Street Campus))
• Rogart Street Campus, 4 Rogart Street, Glasgow, G40 2AA (55.8512°N 4.2253°W / 55.8512; -4.2253 (Glasgow Metropolitan College, Rogart Street Campus))
• Dornoch Street Campus, Dornoch Street, Glasgow, G40 2QT (55.8515°N 4.2278°W / 55.8515; -4.2278 (Glasgow Metropolitan College, Dornoch Street Campus))
• Florence Street Campus, 5 Florence Street, Glasgow, G5 0VX (55.8514°N 4.2466°W / 55.8514; -4.2466 (Glasgow Metropolitan College, Florence Street Campus))

The Cathedral Street campus was chosen as the location for the replacement super campus, and the former Food Technology College and Allan Glen buildings were demolished for its construction. The former College of Building and Printing (Met Tower) and the College of Commerce buildings were protected as Grade B listed structures.

The Met Tower was purchased by a commercial development company (Bruntwood), and as of 2023, is undergoing refurbishment as it is repurposed as an office building.

The College had four schools:

• School of Built Environment
• School of Communication and Media
• School of Design
• School of Food, Hospitality, Sport and Tourism

• Martin Docherty-Hughes, Member of Parliament.[4]

The tower of the Building and Printing College (retrospectively known as the Met Tower), constructed in 1964 - was awarded Grade II listed status, and after the new City of Glasgow College vacated the building in 2015, it has lain empty and unused. For several years it was dubbed "the ugliest building in the UK",[5] due to it being used to display a giant pink "People Make Glasgow" placard owing to its prominent location overlooking George Square.

View of the south elevation of the tower in 2019 from George Square, showing the infamous "People Make Glasgow" pink placard.

In 2022, it was revealed that a development company had purchased the campus for £16m[6] with a plan to repurpose the tower as office space for new technology start-ups,[7] which will involve the refurbishment of the tower and converting it into office space. A smaller tower containing a hotel will be constructed on the site of the podium structure on the north side of the campus, which was demolished in August 2023. The new site is expected to be open in 2025.

• College Website