Mclellan Galleries, 145, 147, 149 Renfrew Street, Glasgow

McClellan Galleries, 145, 147, 149 Renfrew Street, Glasgow

This substantial building occupies an entire city block and serves as both an exhibition gallery and department store. It was originally designed by James Smith in 1855. The dome and shop fronts were added by Frank Burnet and Boston in 1904. A rear building was constructed by A B Macdonald in 1913–14. Following a fire, the building was redeveloped behind its facade in 1988.

The building is constructed of polished ashlar with a marble shop front. It rises three storeys with dimensions of 9 by 31 by 10 bays, topped by a cupola dome at the south-east corner where Sauchiehall Street and Blythswood Street meet. A two-storey, eight-bay addition extends to Renfrew Street at the rear.

The main entrance faces the galleries vestibule and shop, featuring a sculpted segmental pedimented doorpiece from 1913–14. It comprises stepped double pilasters with sculpted relief in the tympanum and niche above. Sculpted supporters and a bust on a pedestal (the bust by Mossman, reused from the original building) surmount a broken segmental pediment with relief. The first-floor cill band stops at the entry to No 2 Dalhousie Street. The building has a mutule cornice, eaves string course, corniced ridge stacks, and a slate roof. All windows are sash and case set in architraves with plate glass.

On Sauchiehall Street, the elevation comprises 10–11–10 bays with a centre section breaking forward. First-floor windows in the central section feature consoled segmental pediments; the centre 4 bays of the outer sections have triangular pediments. Second-floor windows are consoled and corniced with cills. A blocking course runs along the western section; the central and eastern sections have parapets with piers. A polygonal dome occupies the south-east corner, with broken segmental pedimented aedicule windows featuring sculpted tympana and alternate arched windows with sculpted friezes.

The Rose Street elevation displays 10 bays and a single-storey entrance bay at No 7 with an architraved doorpiece, cornice, and parapet. Two floors of consoled and corniced windows, pedimented on the first floor, sit above a Doric pilastered doorway with triglyph frieze at No 5 Rose Street.

The Dalhousie Street elevation comprises 9 bays arranged 5–4. Channelled masonry appears in the last 4 return bays from the south. A single-storey entrance bay at No 6 Dalhousie Street matches that at No 7 Rose Street. A channelled projecting solid portico with a roundheaded arch and keystone stands at No 2 Dalhousie Street. The first 4 return bays from the south break forward, each with 4 consoled and corniced windows on each floor. The next 5 bays have a ground floor stepped up in 2 bays above the entry, with 5 consoled and corniced windows on cill bands in the stepped bays and with cills in the outer bays. A pediment appears in the 3rd bay from the north; 5 margined windows occupy the first floor.

The Renfrew Street elevation is two storeys, eight bays, rendered in polished ashlar with a rusticated base. A one-storey projection extends from the main section, featuring a mutule cornice and flat, recessed casement windows. Architraved entrances stand at No 147 and No 149 Renfrew Street. Giant quoined sections with sculpted panels occupy the projecting outer bays of the main section. These include sculpted reliefs, a dentil cornice, and a parapet with swags flanking a blind central section bearing 3 sculpted panels. "City of Glasgow" motifs flank the inscription "McLellan Galleries". An eaves frieze, cornice, and parapet complete the composition.

The interior contains cast-iron columns with free Renaissance capitals. The second-floor gallery is panelled with Corinthian columned marble and brass chimneypiece. The galleries feature a top-lit landing with columnar screens and pilasters, leading to a series of top-lit galleries with elaborate marbled detailing.