SEC Armadillo
The Armadillo | |
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| Address | Finnieston Street Glasgow G3 8YW Scotland |
|---|---|
| Owner | SEC Ltd. |
| Capacity | 3,000 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1995-97 |
| Opened | 7 September 1997 |
| Construction cost | £30 million |
| Website | |
| Venue Info | |
The Clyde Auditorium, familiarly known as "The Armadillo", is a concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland. The building sits on the site of the now infilled Queen's Dock on the River Clyde, adjacent to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.
History
Plans for a new building to increase the capacity of the SECC complex were initiated in 1995. Designed by award-winning architects Foster and Partners, the 1,100 seat venue was completed in 1997, by which time it had earned its affectionate nickname due to the similarity of its shape to that of the animal of the same name. Many comparisons have been made with the Sydney Opera House, although this was not the architects' inspiration for the design, which was in fact an interlocking series of ship's hulls, in reference to the Clyde's shipbuilding heritage.
The building has quickly become one of the most recognisable on Clydeside and one of the iconic images of modern Glasgow. Its success has led to the construction of a third venue on the complex, the Scottish Hydro Arena.
It is connected to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre and the Crowne Plaza for easy access and exit for high profile performers.[clarification needed]
The facade of the Clyde Auditorium was a venue featured in a promotional video for the animated sitcom The Simpsons, which parodies the famous Susan Boyle audition for Britain's Got Talent in January 2009.[1]
The building held the Scottish auditions of Britain's Got Talent series 2 - 4 and the auditions for series 1 - 4 of The X Factor. It is the place where Susan Boyle was discovered.
Ian Reilly, the site's engineer, named the Auditorium the Armadillo during the construction phase.[citation needed]
The building will be the host of the weightlifting competitions of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow.
See also
References
- ^ "Springfield's Got Talent: Boyle Vs Homer". Sky News. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
External links
- SECC web site
- Photographs of the (Armadillo) Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow
- Queen's Dock regeneration project
- SECC Armadillo features in Delhi - Clyde Waterfront regeneration
55°51′34″N 4°17′17″W / 55.859496°N 4.287962°W
- Buildings and structures in Glasgow
- Culture in Glasgow
- Norman Foster buildings
- High-tech architecture
- Lattice shell structures
- Visitor attractions in Glasgow
- Exhibition and conference centres in Scotland
- Music venues in Glasgow
- 2014 Commonwealth Games venues
- Cultural infrastructure completed in 1997
- 1997 establishments in Scotland
- Music venues completed in 1997