Artist Recreates Historic Glasgow Building Destroyed by Fire in Miniature

A historic Glasgow building which was destroyed in a major fire has been recreated in miniature by an artist.

The model - which is made from recycled cardboard - depicts the businesses that were affected by the blaze.

It also features the building's landmark dome as well as the iconic signs which once adorned its roof.

Karen said: "After seeing the devastation on the TV, I felt compelled to try and recreate it because such a big part of my childhood was walking up and down Union Street and being fascinated by the Irn-Bru sign."

Among her creations are scale replicas of venues and buildings ranging from the Barrowland Ballroom and other famous Glasgow music venues to coastal cafes, historic castles and cottages.

Working from a renovated caravan in her garden in Larbert, she not only builds the pubs and clubs she worked in for nearly 20 years but also takes commissions through her small business, Bricks & Bones.

"My mum had a hairdresser shop on Cambridge Street so on a Saturday my dad would take me into town and we would go shopping, walking along Union Street," Karen said.

"It was a Saturday treat to go out with my dad and then we would pick my mum up from work afterwards.

"My dad passed away a long time ago so this model is sentimental because it reminds me of spending time with him as well."

Using photographs she had already and images online, Karen took measurements to help her scale the model.

She described the project - which measures about 25cm (10in) high and 50cm (20in) wide - as a "monster" and much bigger than anything she had worked on before.

"There are thousands of individually hand-cut bricks and roof tiles, and 74 windows, which all had to be spaced out properly.

"I could have just painted them on or some people would have used a 3D printer but the way I do it makes it charming and different to what other people are doing."

Only the facade of the building was left standing after the fire, which broke out in a vape shop on 8 March.

Demolition work on the damaged building is still continuing and a cordon remains in place due to safety fears over the work.

The businesses along Union Street and Gordon Street had also changed since Karen was a child but she said she felt she had to include the shops that were affected by the fire.

"I had a dilemma before I started because finding a reference for the shops that I remember was really tricky and I don't think I could have done it justice through memory," she said.

"But then I also thought it would be disservice to change the shops that were lost."