Haldane Building

Suddenly, a gasp rippled through the group as we stood before the Haldane Building. “A drill hall?” someone exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. The Haldane Building, part of the Glasgow School of Art, indeed began its life far from the world of canvases and kilns. In 1897, Horatio Kelson Bromhead designed this imposing structure, not for budding artists, but for the 1st Volunteer Battalion the Highland Light Infantry. Imagine the stomping of boots and the clatter of rifles echoing within these walls. This was the heart of military training, a place where young men prepared for war. The Haldane Building witnessed history unfold, from the mobilization of troops in 1914 to the amalgamation of various battalions after World War II. The 5th (City of Glasgow) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, called the Haldane Building home. They marched from these very doors to Gallipoli and the Western Front, carrying the weight of their city and their nation on their shoulders. Later, the 5th/6th, 10th, and 11th Battalions also trained here, a testament to the building’s long and storied military history. In 1967, the final march took place. The 5/6th Battalion, colours flying, paraded from the Haldane Building to merge with the Glasgow Highlanders, leaving behind an era of military might. The building then traded its khaki for creativity, becoming a part of the Glasgow School of Art. Named after the Glaswegian engraver James Haldane, it now nurtures artistic talent, echoing with the quiet hum of creativity instead of the sharp commands of drill sergeants. The Haldane Building stands as a powerful reminder of Glasgow’s layered past, a place where the echoes of history intertwine with the vibrant energy of the present.