The Heritage Draughtsman’s vision: Rizwan Saqib on restoring civic pride in Glasgow and putting the art back into architecture
- Daphne McClellan
- Jul 25
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 28
“Transferring the beauty of a building onto the drawing board one detail at a time.”
This was the subline for The Heritage Draughtsman, Rizwan Saqib’s solo exhibition hosted 20th - 27th June 2025 at Articulate Cultural Trust. Rizwan’s journey with architecture and art is both deeply personal and driven by a conviction rooted in community, heritage, and urban identity that challenges modern conventions of architecture.
We go behind the scenes with Rizwan to explore the inspirations, experiences and values that shape his work.
Style with substance
Rizwan’s creative journey began with some frustration and disillusionment with the architecture world’s fixation on efficiency and modernism. “There was a lot of clashing going on”, he recalls of his time at Glasgow School of Art. “I’d try to incorporate more traditional elements into architectural design, whereas the architectural scene today frowns upon all of that.”
“There's a saying for modernist architects: “Form follows function,” and that's kind of, for me, not something I'm really convinced of – I mean, any form of art is subjective, but for creative design and architecture, I think that statement should be chucked in the bin.”
Rizwan’s drawings push back against the sanitisation of architectural design by spotlighting the ornament and character of some of Glasgow’s most unique buildings. A particular source of inspiration for him is the Art Deco movement. “This year actually marks 100 years since Art Deco became prominent in the architecture scene in Scotland. And it's a style I've grown to love over the past months. I see it as bridging traditional and more modern uses of technology and creating more ornate, beautiful buildings. It's simple but striking and has meaning and character to it.”
He points to Glasgow’s Beresford Building on Sauchiehall Street, designed by William Beresford Inglis, as a favourite example. He describes it as “iconic and unmissable,” especially when the sky is blue enough to make you feel “transported to Miami” – an Art Deco hotspot and one of the few places in the U.S. where the style has been preserved on such a large scale. It’s a globally recognised case study in historic preservation.
But beauty in architecture should be accessible to everyone – and it’s Rizwan’s lived experience that fuels his passion for the built environment’s role in shaping community, identity and mental wellbeing, especially in more deprived areas.
Rooted in lived experience
Growing up in the working-class Southside of Glasgow with mixed Pakistani and Scottish heritage, Rizwan was exposed to a unique side of the city.
“I was quite fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of nice architecture, whereas there's other areas and schemes that were not so fortunate to have that, especially in the post-war period, it was just rapid housing schemes getting built.”
And it wasn’t just the presence of these buildings that was inspiring, but the way they were repurposed to serve the community while preserving their history and aesthetic.
“One of the buildings that I've chosen is the Govanhill Picture House. Today it's used as retail units, warehouses – South Asian garments, religious objects, that kind of thing, and household items. And the building is a former picture house. Currently it's B-listed, and it's at high risk of demolition because it's just been left to rot. And I was just attracted to the building because it's so beautiful but also it was a really clear and great example of repurposing an historic building.”
His background sparked a desire for action and change for future generations. For Rizwan, who faced a challenging upbringing, the spaces he lived in mattered and still do. “I wanted to give people like myself, who grew up with not having much, to know that they are part of the community – to raise the kind of civic pride and restore that,” he says. Through his drawings, he honours that wish by showing how history, culture and creativity can coexist.
The fight for preservation
At the heart of The Heritage Draughtsman is a quiet but firm demand: that we treat Glasgow’s architecture with care and respect. The loss of historic buildings is a slow erosion of artistry and heritage, and these mistreated structures need advocates. Rizwan further emphasises how relevant the cause is in a post-COVID-19 world, where we have realised the impact of our environment on mental health.
He is critical of Glasgow City Council’s leniency around protecting buildings, which is demonstrated in the case of the Govanhill Picture House’s state of disrepair. “There’s intricate tiles on the façade,” he explains, “but they’ve been damaged by drilling.” Stricter limitations or clearer guidance are necessary to prevent this kind of irreversible damage to buildings.
Rizwan highlights the contrast with Edinburgh, where preservation is more prioritised by the Council. “They’re fantastic in what they do. They maintain their buildings really well,” he says. “I think Edinburgh is perfect… maybe a wee bit too perfect,” he adds with a laugh. It’s Glasgow’s eclectic, layered style that captures his heart, a mix worth uplifting through more careful planning laws. “Even though I love traditional styles, the more brutalist, postmodern kind of style actually emphasises the ornate beauty of sandstone buildings.”
Internal struggles, support and self-belief
Behind the clarity of Rizwan’s artistic vision is a hard-fought journey, where the path wasn’t always certain or straightforward. It was encouragement from a secondary school art teacher that spurred him on to pursue architecture. But the reality at Glasgow School of Art didn’t meet the expectation. “It wasn’t an environment I was particularly keen to be in,” he reflects. “The tutors would just give you the brief and away you go. They don’t help you develop a style.”
Compounding that were personal challenges: difficulties at home, a lack of support, and self-doubt. “I didn’t have that motivation. I didn’t have that purpose. I didn’t know what I was doing with myself.” When he returned to college it was a more supportive environment, but it still took time to see his own strengths and potential. “My tutors knew I had the skill set. They could see it, but I was so harsh on myself, thinking it was just total rubbish.”
Receiving support and positive feedback affirmed that Rizwan’s art and skills had real value and that the commitment was worth it. “That really changed things for me. I began to appreciate a lot more the time I put into what I’m doing, because it takes hours upon hours to do what I’m doing.”
Finding further support through Articulate, who helped him fund materials and run the exhibition, was another turning point. It wasn’t just about his technical ability, but the worth of his perspective and lived experience: recognising that his continual resilience in the face of hardship, his emotional connection to architecture, and his boundary-breaking ideas were not weaknesses in a rigid system, but strengths in their own right.
What's next
The Heritage Draughtsman exhibition showcased Rizwan’s talent and presented a vision for how Glasgow might better honour its architectural legacy. This first public show of his work, he says, is just the beginning. “So much of what I wanted to include didn’t make it in,” he admits. “But this was about getting started. It’s been a confidence thing – wondering, am I doing this right or not?”
Looking ahead, Rizwan has a clearer roadmap to channel his passions in meaningful work. He doesn’t necessarily want to be in the spotlight – “not to be like the face of things, I don’t like the attention” – but he does want his work to make a difference.
“I really want to bolster support from Glaswegians across the city,” he says, “and people – particularly amongst the older generation who maybe moved abroad. It’s quite sad when I see on social media that people have not been in Glasgow for years, to come back and see a transformation, but not a good transformation, because many elements have been lost… they say, ‘Oh, that’s gone,’ and it’s unrecognisable.”
He hopes to collaborate with architectural charities, offering his perspective and skills to initiatives that protect and celebrate Glasgow’s special and characterful urban environment. Whether through further study, preservation campaigns, or mentoring others, he’s focused on long-term impact. “I really do want future generations to still appreciate what we have today.” Through his drawings and his voice, Rizwan is working to make that future possible.
You can follow Rizwan on Instagram at @the_heritage_draughtsman and stay tuned for the launch of his website and upcoming products.
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