Project Description
The original Langside Parish Church was erected on Ledard Road on Glasgow’s south side in 1908. A series of floods damaged the foundations of the original Church and in 1995 the building was demolished and replaced with a modern Church more suited to its needs and easier to maintain.
The works were carried out by Fleming Buildings of Lenzie.
On 8th May 2009 the Church suffered a serious fire causing extensive damage to much of the building and totally destroying the Sanctuary.
The church took this opportunity to develop plans for reinstating an extended Church to accommodate a steadily growing congregation.
CRGP designed a new light and airy circular ‘Garden Room’ entrance, and an upper floor with meeting room and a mezzanine floor to the Sanctuary. The stained glass windows, originally salvaged from the 1908 Church, were repaired and reinstated in the new Sanctuary, these include The Gospels along with two other major windows designed and made by stained glass artist Gordon Webster in 1952. Velux roof windows flood the Sanctuary and foyer with natural light whilst a labyrinth is set into the Sanctuary floor.
A Low Carbon Heating and Ventilation System was installed which includes two air source heat pumps, a high efficiency gas-fired back-up boiler and underfloor heating. This provides an efficient, comfortable heating system that minimises the cost, energy use and carbon emissions to heat the building and to provide hot water. The heat pumps are located externally. They act much like a fridge in reverse, in that they draw warmth from the outside air and, through a heat pump the difference in temperature is multiplied, and used to warm the water entering the boiler, so the boiler has less work or even no work to do, and uses less energy. The heat pumps provide the majority of the heating requirements, around 90% of the time. For the remaining 10% of the time, when it is particularly cold outside, the gas boiler will assist the heating system. Interestingly during a prolonged period of cold weather there was no demand for the boiler to operate.
Most areas of the Church have underfloor heating installed. This runs at a lower temperature than conventional radiators, whilst providing the same heat output. Less energy is needed for underfloor heating than conventional radiators.
The Ventilation system has a heat recovery unit installed, this takes the heat from the air being extracted from the church, heat that would otherwise be wasted as it is carried outside. This heat is used to warm the fresh air being supplied into the Church.
Works were carried out again by Fleming Buildings of Lenzie and Langside Parish Church was re-opened for Easter Sunday 2011. The microrenewable low carbon heating system was installed by Fusion Mechanical Services Limited. New, state of the art audio, visual and lighting systems were installed by SSK Conferences and Events.
Much of the Church’s artwork was destroyed in the fire, including ‘The Last Supper’ by artist and church member, Stuart Duffin RSA. Stuart spent 12 months creating a spectacular new 12 foot oil on canvas ‘The Last Supper’ which is now proudly displayed in the Sanctuary.
Langside Parish Church provides a warm welcome to all visitors and features in the annual ‘Doors Open Day’. We highly recommend a visit!
