North Rotunda Surveys

Our Scotland team recently carried out surveys at the North Rotunda at Glasgow’s iconic harbour location on the river Clyde. These two red brick rotundas are linked by tunnels, which until the 1980s provided vehicular and pedestrian access to opposites sides of the river. Located on the aptly named Tunnel Street, the North Rotunda, which was built in the 1890’s is to be converted into an events venue and unique bar/restaurant by Forest Hotels Limited. 

We undertook series of surveys for design and planning purposes, as part of Forest Hotels Limited’s redevelopment project. Completing the internal and external surveys not only required us to coordinate with the current occupiers of the North Rotunda, but also the OVO Hydro, a multi-purpose indoor arena, located adjacent to the Rotunda. 

Gathering ‘High Quality and Accurate’ Data from a Challenging Site Location 

Surveying the outside of the building for the measured building survey, topographic and utilities surveys presented particular challenges. The North Rotunda is situated in a busy central Glasgow location and right next door to the city’s main indoor arena. Closing off access roads to allow surveying with laser scanners and total stations would have caused too much obstruction and disruption, especially to the OVO Hydro, which was hosting a series of concerts, conference and conventions at the time. 

Our surveying team worked closely with the OVO Hydro to understand when events were being held, and pedestrian and vehicular access would be busiest. We worked around these periods, cordoning off open manhole covers for health and safety purposes when completing both Ground Penetrating Radar and Electromagnetic Location surveys to track and trace utilities within the circa 13,000m2 area. 

Collaboration and Teamwork Achieve Success 

Our surveyors worked closely very with the building’s manager to coordinate a schedule of works to complete a full measured building survey with minimal disruption. Our team had kitchens, customers and events to work around, but with excellent communication and planning they completed the measured building survey in a week. This included scanning the entire inside and outside of the building and creating a 3D point cloud from which we were able to build 2D Auto CAD plans, and a 3D Revit model. 

Where 2D CAD plans reveal main structural features, a Revit model is a dimensionally accurate, 3D digital model of a building that can be used to design, document, visualise and deliver architecture, engineering and construction projects. This highly detailed, high-spec deliverable also offers an opportunity for an enhanced level of collaboration and communication between project contributors. All the surveys were completed within two weeks, with minimal disruption to the respective businesses and their customers. Our client was very happy with the detailed data received, and that our care and communications ensured their good relationship with the other businesses was maintained.