Woods Bagot Transform Historical Category B-Listed Nike Building in Glasgow
Nike have unveiled its refreshed Glasgow store on Buchanan Street, reimagined by Woods Bagot in collaboration with the Nike design team. After nearly 13 years of occupying the space, the redesign breathes new life into the iconic location, celebrating both innovation and heritage. Preserving the past, designing the future
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Situated on Buchanan Street, Glasgow’s premier shopping destination and the busiest street in the UK outside London, the Nike store commands attention in the heart of the city. This late, 19th century, Category B-listed building was originally designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in an Italian Renaissance style, featuring orange red Coreshill sandstone and distinctive architectural elements of the period.
The store is perfectly positioned to engage a vast audience of shoppers, making it a standout feature on one of the UK’s most trafficked retail thoroughfares.
Being well versed in transforming heritage buildings, Woods Bagot took on the challenge of renewing this historically significant space while respecting its heritage.
The project required a meticulous design and approvals process to navigate strict planning regulations and preserve key features of the building. The building façade remained largely unchanged, with only minimal interventions to the shopfront and entrance doors. Internally, historical elements such as the Ionic columns with distinctive capitals were carefully restored and highlighted as part of the refreshed design.
The atrium underwent a major transformation, extending to 12 metres and featuring a striking new staircase alongside an 11-metre-tall digital wall. The previous dark wooden floors were replaced with a sleek, light grey terrazzo finish, immediately optically enlarging the space. The ceiling was upgraded with a Unistrut system to conceal the MEP, while its black finish contrasts strikingly against the freshly painted white Mackintosh columns, emphasizing their intricate details. The perimeter brick walls were fully restored and left exposed, adding texture and depth to the store’s visual identity.
Throughout the space, high-end materials such as stainless steel, polycarbonate, mirrored surfaces and LED screens were introduced, aligning with the global Nike Rise concept.
A key aspect of the redesign was celebrating the buildings architectural heritage. By painting the Ionic capitals white and exposing the original brick walls, the store highlights its historical features while integrating them into a contemporary design language. Removing interior fixtures from the façade glazing also allowed more natural light to flood the space, improving energy efficiency and contributing to a healthier indoor environment.
Nike’s Glasgow store is not your ordinary retail space. It is a fusion of history and modernity that reflects Nike’s commitment to innovation while honouring the past. Woods Bagot’s thoughtful redesign ensures the store remains a landmark destination on Buchanan Street for years to come.