The entire complex, which includes the adjoining Buchanan Galleries shopping mall which was constructed in the late 1990s – was built over a former residential area which was demolished as part of the "comprehensive development" of Townhead and Cowcaddens in the 1960s.

The auditorium area is insulated by a massive rubber membrane built into the floor – damping out noise and vibration from the Subway tracks which run underneath.

[4] The programme featured two new works by Scottish composers, Carillon by Thomas Wilson and Rainbow 90 by Thea Musgrave, both specially commissioned for the occasion by Glasgow City Council, as well as pieces by Beethoven and Vaughan Williams.

On the day prior, public concerts were given by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, with proceeds being donated to the RNLI, which also demonstrated how the stage and the floor levels can be changed to suit performances.

Some of the basic thinking behind the scheme had been directly influenced by the Bruce Report, which had proposed dividing the city centre up into distinct zones for various types of activity once slum housing had been cleared.

In 1964, Glasgow Corporation had already envisioned a new civic square which would be created following the planned closure and demolition of Buchanan Street railway station (which by this time had been decided as part of the Beeching Cuts).

Even as far back as the late 1960s, Leslie Martin's initial concepts showed familiar aspects of the building that would be recognised today – the extensive use of colonnades (which would only be ultimately used on the north entrance of the building), and the cylindrical shaped entrance on its south facing side, which would be centred on the former intersection of Sauchiehall Street and Parliamentary Road.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra recently moved to a purpose-built new home on-site, entered from Killermont Street.

On Sunday 9 October 1993, Nelson Mandela chose Glasgow as the place to formally receive the first of his freedoms of nine British cities.