On Wednesday afternoon we take a bus tour through and around Glasgow—- this week credited by the Lonely Planet Guide as a place that ‘defines urban renewal – a byword for style and chic’. Our tour takes in West End tenements and gridplan layout – I’d forgotten the sheer scale of the expansion of this city in the 19th century, reminiscent of Chicago though without the American array of 20th century skyscraper!. We see Kelvingrove art gallery and get a preview of the monumental Zaha Hadid-designed Transport Museum in the former dock area. ‘Academy of Iconism?’ I suggest, as a tease to AoU founding chairman John Thompson.

We go to renovated Govan, renovated Gorbals (architecture by Page & Park, Piers Gough, public art by Dan Dubovitz/Heisenerg,and a modest Fransican friary – still active—- in whic lie the bones of St. Valentine), whiz past the huge busily-being-renovated site for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and end up at the People’s Palace, whose vast glass roof releases occasional drips of rain down onto our Clyde Gateway-sponsored Reception sandwiches, but is so splendid we forgive it. We stand making conversation, 21st century urbanists among palm trees and other exotic plants in a renovated Victorian glass-house inspired by the 1851 Crystal Palace. The sun has set forever on that Empire—- and, this evening, in Glasgow too. Time for a drink and some serious urban nattering.