- Location: Glasgow, Scottland
- Architects: BDB Building Design Partnership Glasgow, Scotland
- Completion: 2001
- Client: Tarmac Building; Carillion Building Division Glasgow
- Scope of Work: 3D Imax Cinema: Steel spaceframe structure, titanium cladding and glass curtain wall
- Exhibition Building: Steel structure, titanium cladding and glass curtain wall; 360° Rotating Aerofoil Tower: Steel structure and aluminium cladding
- Cladding: 4,800 m² insulated glass; 7,600 m² insulated titanium sheets; PTFE coated glass fabric
- Type of Structure: total 620 t steel; 65 t space frame with MERO Vario-Clip system
The Glasgow Science Centre is situated on a 17.5 hectare site south of the river Clyde at pacific Quay. It consists of the "Exploratorium", an exhibition hall for science and technology with a total floor space of approx. 11,000 m², the "3D-Cinema", with 350 seats and the "Link Building", a pavilion connecting the buildings, which houses another show room and the ticket counters.
MERO's scope of work included approx. 620 tons of steel, of which 65 tons were used in the construction of the MERO space frame structure. 4,800 m² of glass fixed with the MERO Vario-Clip sealing system went into the glazed facade. The cladding of the 7,600 m² roof area consists of insulated titanium sheeting. The roof of the Link Building pavilion is a membrane structure of PTFE coated glass fabric.
The observation tower is a lightweight space frame structure with supporting outrigger wings which give it the appearance of a catamaran set up on its stern. The tower stands on a revolving platform. By turning to suit the wind, the wind loads on the tower are minimized. At the heart of the tower is a staircase clad with aluminium panels giving a cross section in the shape of a teardrop. Glass walled elevators are located in the open ribbed area of the structure and an observation cabin is installed on top of the tower at a height of approx. 100 m.
