The planning application has gone in for the landscape-led regeneration of the ruined St Peter’s Seminary at Kilmahew in Cardross.
Led by landscape architect erz, working with architect Avanti, the proposal won the Neighbourhood Planning category in the 2012 Landscape Institute Awards. It is the latest attempt to find a use for the former seminary. Designed by Gillespie Kidd & Coia in 1966 and Grade A-listed, the building is internationally renowned but has failed to find a viable use and has fallen into disrepair.
Called ‘The Invisible College’, the scheme proposes rehabilitating the main seminary building as a ‘raw’ space, plus the introduction of a new building in the walled garden which will act as a hub for community projects. There will be restoration of paths and landscape, and accommodation for new vehicular access.
Rolf Roscher, director of ERZ, said, ‘I think a key thing is that this is a landscape-led masterplan and that a landscape architecture practice has led the development of the masterplan’,
The judges of the LI awards commented, ‘erz has put forward a scheme that draws on a unique, exciting and innovative approach to landscape architecture. It makes the reader think and reflect, and pushes the discipline forward.’
