Glasgow Orange Order headquarters turned into offices

Olympia House, a former Salvation Army citadel on Olympia Street in the city's Bridgeton, has been redeveloped to comprise 280 sqm of modern and flexible commercial office space. 

The space was also used as the headquarters of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland. 

Now known as New Olympia House, the project is expected to create around 30 full-time jobs.

Built by Redpath Construction and designed by local architects O'Donnell Brown, features of the new internal space include exposing brickwork, roof trusses, and existing timber linings.

Underfloor heating and air source heat pump technology have been installed to improve the energy performance of the building.

The office's design also includes a large metal tower called the Beacon, which serves as a nod to the adjacent Bridgeton Umbrella. 

New Olympia House was spearheaded by Clyde Gateway, who purchased the building in 2020 and was granted planning permission for the development last February. 

Clyde Gateway's chief executive Martin McKay said: “We bought this iconic building a few years ago because we knew this had great potential to drive investment right into the heart of Bridgeton.

"It is a great space for organisations and businesses to add to the civic organisations that call Bridgeton home.

“A key objective of this project was to ensure that we did not lose the charm of the original building.

"The architects, O’Donnell Brown, and builder, Redpath Construction, have carried out an excellent job whilst updating the space into a modern and energy-efficient workspace.

“Clyde Gateway has refurbished and built a number of properties in the immediate vicinity, bringing businesses and organisations to the area.

"We cannot wait to get new tenants utilising this space too and investing in the East End of Glasgow.”

Artist impressions of the project (Image: Clyde Gateway)

Redpath Construction supported the local community by delivering a range of initiatives such as giving work experience to students from Trinity High School in Rutherglen and refurbishing the garden and playspace of the nearby Green Trees Nursery.

Susan Cardwell, marketing and business development manager at Redpath Construction, said: “It has been a real privilege to be part of the transformation of the building with Clyde Gateway. 

"As a true regeneration project, we have not only been able to breathe new life into New Olympia House, creating a bright and sustainable office space, we have also had the opportunity to support local young people through training and made lasting relationships with the fantastic team at Green Trees Nursery. 

"There are few projects where the impact on the local community has been felt more keenly."

Jennifer O’Donnell, director at O’Donnell Brown, added: “New Olympia House provided an exciting opportunity to repurpose a historic building and further strengthen one of Glasgow’s historic Crosses.

"The regeneration of Bridgeton Cross over the last decade has been tackled with ambition and care and O’Donnell Brown enjoyed working in this context with the project team and Clyde Gateway to give this local landmark a brighter future and new lease of life.”