55 & 75 Plean St, Glasgow

Short film using photographs and audio: I was commissioned by the demolition company to shoot a make shift timelapse of both buildings coming down by a large grinding machine, which slowly tears down the buildings over 4 months. And whilst shooting this I found I had a free run of the empty flats. I then tracked down 3 former residents of the flats to hear their stories about life in the flats, the good days, the experience moving in and the eventual demise of the flats. Everyone wanted these buildings demolished and the press claimed in their latter days they were rife with drug addicts and crime. A local petition was sent round demanding the flats be demolished and then the flats were finally emptied. All around though are high rise flats that seemed to have survived and even prospered, so what caused 55 & 75 Plean St to be so run down, filled with criminality and then demolished?

This short film is part of my new project -- The Glasgow Renaissance, a continuation of my MA project -- Hope, memories, loss & community -- chrisleslie.co.uk/​MA/