Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed by Bield Housing Association (BHA) to design a residential development for a tight urban site in the historic core of Govan, Glasgow. BHA specialises in providing accommodation and services to over 15,000 older people living in Scotland. They acquired a tight site, surrounded by Grade A listed buildings, adjacent to now demolished former ship-building yards and required an architect to realise their vision. The design appointment was won in a competitive interview process. The development required very compact economical planning to accommodate the brief for 27 flats with 69 bed spaces. The fenestration of the seven storey flats is grouped 2:3:2 to relate to that of the adjacent 19th century former YMCA. Using a brick similar to the common brick of the back courts and Govan’s industrial heritage, the design expresses its structural grid.