Colquhoun Square
Colquhoun Square has been designed to create a town centre with attractive, usable and flexible public space which supports community events, festivals and markets. While previously the area was a crossroads dominated by vehicles, it is now a pedestrian focused environment. Accessible seating, widened pavements and new surfaces have been installed to help promote outdoor activity and encourage greater footfall between the town centre and the seafront. The square also incorporates an ‘outdoor museum’ exhibiting artwork and artefacts from local history.
Bespoke bollards designed to include objects that are part of the ‘Outdoor Museum,’ image by Keith Hunter for Austin-Smith:Lord
The project seeks to improve economic activity in the town and enhance the visitor experience. Its core design aims included reducing pedestrian and car conflict, reducing road widths and crossing distances and reducing the clutter of parked cars. It also aimed to increase accessibility by creating a step free environment across the square. The square is now able to host events such as concerts and markets.
We imagined Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum as a place where local treasures could be permanently on display alongside objects of national significance and newly commissioned artworks, reflecting both the big history of the town and the smaller stories that make up our world. We envisaged this Museum with a collection open to the elements, where the wind and rain and sun and touch of hand, make their own contribution to the collection as it grows over the years.
Peter McCaughey, Lead Artist - WAVEparticle
The redevelopment of the square was part of a £7m makeover of Helensburgh town centre - delivered as part of the wider Helensburgh CHORD project. It has become a springboard to further growth by increasing private sector investment in the town.The design team was led by Austin-Smith:Lord.
Colquhoun Square was designed as the 'civic heart' of Helensburgh, image by Keith Hunter for Austin-Smith:Lord
Header image by Keith Hunter for Austin-Smith:Lord