Theatre Architects

Architects Albert V. Gardner and William R. Glen entered into a partnership in 1919.

The practice of Gardner & Glen had offices at 164 Bath Street, Glasgow and specialized in the design of Atmospheric cinemas. The practice had traded-up from Gardner’s early years on innovative low-budget cinemas and it is in this context that we should read the frequently quoted comments of one of their clients, George Singleton, who regarded Glen as a far superior architect to Gardner, describing the latter as “the most awful faker in the world. He used every substitute for the decent thing”.

The partnership was dissolved in 1929 when Glen left for London having obtained an appointment as Architect to Associated British Cinemas Ltd; Gardner thereafter practiced very successfully on his own for several years prior to forming a third partnership with Gavin Thomson in 1936.

Theatres on this website in which this architect firm was involved:

Kelvin Cinema, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

(1935 alterations)