Site
The construction of The Lion Chamber began in 1904 and the building was completed in 1907 by the architects Salmon Son and Gillespie. Even during its construction, it became popular as the second in Glasgow reinforced concrete building that utilized the, coming to a great popularity, Hennebique system. The system was a method of strengthening concrete through reinforced steel bars.
The building slowly rose floor by floor attracting passers by, who saw this massive concrete construction grow before their eyes. What is more
interesting is that due to the lack of working space on site, the workers were unable to use any power plant. So each and every bucket of concrete was mixed, hoisted and placed by hand.
Despite its glory at the start of the 20th century, The Lion Chambers did not stand the test of time showing early signs of deterioration in 1991 and
dwindling more rapidly from then on. Weathering of materials and thin load bearing walls had their toll, resulting in a dying construction.
The state of the building becomes a metaphor for the goals proposed by the Center – to repair the damaged, amongst which is the building itself. Besides repairing, the project aims to preserve and expose the existing elements of the construction, to highlight that even an initially failed system can spark new
ideas and prompt the creation of new meaningful spaces. The Furniture Design and Repair Center takes further inspiration from the building in its hands-on approach to making, echoing the method by which the structure was built – reinforcing the idea that craftsmanship is a powerful and effective mode of making.
