WORDS: Tomasz Sawczuk

PICTURES: German Aljabjev

Situated on the verdant grounds of Glasgow Green, the Templeton Carpet Factory cuts an imposing figure against the grey Glasgow skyline. Completed in 1892 and designed by renowned Scottish architect William Leiper, the building has become an iconic symbol of Glasgow’s Victorian past.

Leiper had made a name for himself designing churches, and this has certainly been reflected in the ecclesiastical style of the building. Its glazed façade, intricate stonework and unique Venetian style have earned the building reverence and admiration far beyond its factory status.

Leiper’s work prior to the Templeton Carpet Factory has been largely characterised by his use of soft yellow sandstone – a palette he seldom veered from. However, this dramatically changed with the factory’s bold design; a vibrant red brick façade, adorned with lavish yellow tiles and grand window arches encased in azure mosaic, give the building a sense of grandeur and opulence.

Heavily influenced by the Doge’s Palace in Venice, the building incorporates several Gothic elements, such as wheel-shaped windows and pointed arches, akin to its venerated Venetian counterpart.

The Venetian influence of the building stemmed from the ambition of James Templeton, son of the Templeton and Co’s founder, and then company director. Keen to expand his enterprise and determined to do so in extravagant fashion, he commissioned Leiper to build the ‘most lavish and virtuous building he could come up with.’ Leiper’s audacious design would eventually gain approval from Glasgow City Council and construction began in 1888.

However, tragedy struck on November 1st, 1889, when strong winds caused a partial wall collapse, taking the lives of 29 women who were working nearby at the time. Then in 1900, a fire broke out in the factory trapping many inside the building.

Although this may paint a grim picture of its working conditions, the factory was pioneering in its approach to the well-being of its workers.

Many recreational spaces, club rooms and canteens were incorporated in its design, differentiating it from the squalid conditions many factory workers endured during the Victorian era. Furthermore, the statue atop the building is believed to be a tribute to a worker who died during the construction.

In contemporary times, the building has gone through several reincarnations, and currently houses a restaurant, offices, and apartments. Unbroken by tragedy, unparalleled in design and unbound by conventionality, the Templeton Carpet Factory, continues to push the limits of innovation more than a century after its foundations were laid.