r/Glasgow Tools

>Or the way the central atrium of the main building is empty right up to the top with the wards on the sides. Next time you're in there walk into the central atrium and just sort of look up - and think about all the empty space there all the way up to the ceiling and what it could have been used for. Why did the design of this place involve so much wasted space?

Atria don't add that much cost to a building, unlike the "stuff" that you're probably thinking should have been in that space instead. If you're not externally constrained (i.e. there's not much stopping you expanding the building's footprint) an atrium is a good way of providing natural light to the interior, as well as having a large all-weather space for people to pass through when arriving and leaving - or just hanging around.

>Why was this place built with windows that don't open? A lot of areas and even some patient rooms don't have windows at all. It's so hot and airless patients and staff are sweating through their clothes. It's as if we're sealed in there.

Unlike the previous point, this is something I hate about modern architecture - it's assumed by the architects that the building management system (heating, cooling, air quality...) is *perfect*, knows better than the building's occupants how conditions should be, and should not be disrupted by silly people opening windows. This is, putting it mildly, optimistic; it's also how you get personal heaters, fans, etc. lying around (or, if things are bad, ice packs or hand warmers taped to temperature sensors). Giving as localised control as possible to people over their environment would be better.