Glasgow’s 850th birthday is more than a milestone — it’s a moment to reimagine the city’s future. Architect Edward Dymock lays out a blueprint for a ‘Good City’ rooted in community, connectivity and climate resilience.

Every big birthday encourages us to look both back at a life well lived, and forward, optimistically to the future. Glasgow’s 850th birthdayprovides us with a unique opportunity to imagine the city’s future, and for us to enter that future with a clear vision of what it means to create a ‘Good City’.

October 2025 marks 850 years since Glasgow was founded. This milestone is an opportunity to question what kind of place we want Glasgow to become over the next century. From a medieval ecclesiastical hub to industrial powerhouse, from postindustrial decline to cultural renaissance, Glasgow’s identity has rarely been static. Urban reinvention is not unique, but it has left Glaswegian’s with a unique city.

We must recognise that this process of reinvention must continue if Glasgow is to meet the challenges of our age: climate transition, the economies of a post-covid and technology focused society, and the pursuit of equity in an increasingly fractured world. It is time to reflect on our ‘dear green place’ with the understanding that thriving and healthy cities are essential to both societal health and the health of the planet.

Read more:

‘People Make Glasgow’ is a genius marketing slogan, only because it is true. Glasgow is a city that blends its strong personal identity with a welcoming attitude. If the most important role for any city is to become a place with community, a place where people from different backgrounds can live in supportive environments, then Glasgow is off to a good start. You only have to........

© Herald Scotland