New student accommodation to open in Glasgow city centre in September

Swan Residences on Swan Street in Cowcaddens will offer 105 studio apartments from September.

The studio apartments will include furniture designed and manufactured by RSBi in a project aimed at supporting inclusive employment.

The site is within walking distance of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian universities, as well as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and offers quick transport links to the University of Glasgow.

Ben Kerr, RSBi manager, said: “This contract is a fantastic example of what happens when businesses consider purpose as part of their procurement processes.

“The directors at Swan Residences understood that backing RSBi means backing quality, backing Glasgow, and backing disabled people in work.

“We couldn't be prouder.”

RSBi secured the contract on the strength of its reputation.

The directors of Swan Residences chose to award the £275,000 contract without going to market, having worked with RSBi previously and keen to support local employment and to invest in sustainable jobs for disabled people.

Furniture installation began this week after several months of design, manufacture and assembly.

Stuart Callion of Swan Residences said: “RSBi is a brilliant local supplier, delivering high quality furniture products at a competitive price point.

“We have full trust in the team at RSBi and have worked closely with them to ensure we deliver the best possible product for our students.

“In particular the show flat has already received positive feedback from students and we believe high quality finishes will help differentiate us from the competition.

“RSBi provide meaningful employment for people who would otherwise face barriers to work which we fully support.”

RSBi is City Building’s manufacturing division, and employs more than 250 people across its operations, with more than half of its workforce made up of disabled employees.

The Swan Residences project follows RSBi’s recent work on the Parkhead Hub, the largest facility of its kind in the UK, which opened in January 2025 and brought together NHS, Health and Social Care Partnership and community services under one roof.

The company continues to seek partnerships with developers, housing associations and public sector organisations that share its commitment to quality products and inclusive employment.