Glasgow Chamber Of Commerce

ROCK star Bryan Ferry is backing a project to build a £20 million graduate and research centre at Glasgow School of Art.

The world class art school is creating the centre as part of the redevelopment of its Garnethill campus in the city.

The second stage of the major redevelopment of the Garnethill Campus will be a specially created Graduate and Research Centre.

The GSA already has one of the UK's largest art and design postgraduate communities with its research profile extending across the areas of sustainability, health and wellbeing, urbanism and regeneration, and design innovation. The new Graduate and Research Centre will be a hub for the School-wide postgraduate and research communities. 

Announcing The Glasgow School of Art Development Trust, which will lead the Campus Renewal Appeal to raise £10m towards the cost of building the new Graduate and Research Centre, Professor Seona Reid said:

"Research, knowledge exchange and the Graduate School are currently areas of significant development at the GSA. As well as offering greatly enhanced facilities for existing researchers and postgraduate programmes, the new Graduate and Research Centre will help the GSA realise its ambitious growth plans in these areas."

The GSA's existing research centres include Digital Design Studio, a world leader in 3D visualisation, haptic interface and 3D sound; MEARU which is researching passive solar energy and zero carbon design, and a is a leader in the field of building performance monitoring; Glasgow Urban Lab - a collaboration with Glasgow City

Council researching placemaking; Centre for Design Innovation which uses design thinking to identify practical, sustainable solutions to complex challenges in the private and public sector, and the Centre for Advanced Textiles which provides a commercial digital fabric printing and textile design service and consulting to large and small manufacturers as well as to individuals.

Chairman of the Trustees, Colin Grassie CEO of Deutsche Bank UK, said 

"The Glasgow School of Art is a globally recognised leader in research and Higher Education in the fields of Architecture, Design and Fine Art. There has never been a more exciting time to be associated with the GSA and it is a great privilege to serve as Chairman of The Glasgow School of Art Development Trust at this pivotal point in its history." 

He added: 

"I am fortunate to be supported by many truly exceptional individuals who have agreed to become Trustees because they share we me a passion of the School and all it represents." 

The Board of Trustees comprises Dr Kenneth Chrystie (Deputy Chair), Kenneth Ross OBE (Deputy Chair), Sharon Bamford, Bob Downes, Bryan Ferry CBE, Muriel Gray, Douglas Kinnaird, Prof Seona Reid CBE, Philip Rodney and A.Boyd Tunnock CBE. Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden KT is Honorary Patron of the Trust and its Director is Alan Horn FRSA.