Holmes Miller won the prestigious commission to design the headquarters office for Aberdeen City Council in 2007. This complex project involves the full facade retention and internal fabric removal of the existing ‘A’ Listed Marischal College building, second largest granite building in the world, resulting in extensive consultation with Planning and Historic Scotland.
All aspects of the design have been carefully considered to make the most of the historic features whilst presenting a modern and vibrant public persona to the city. The proposals create :
- 13,800sqm of Grade A offices
- Customer Services Centre
- Registry office
- Public Event Space
- Maintained links with the University
Our commission included the full interior design and fit out of all finishes, artwork, together with fixed and loose furniture.
In 1906 Alexander Mackenzie designed a fabulous white granite spectacular of a façade. All perpendicular gothic, with rocket-like pilasters rising from the ground with crocketed pinnacles shooting into the air. It was like a white Christmas cake of a building launched on the grimy grey streets of Aberdeen. It heralded a new era of confidence in the City and a fresh start for the University.
Since this time the building has been bedded in to all living memory as a vital part of the City environment and one of the most important buildings in Aberdeen.
Now in 2011 the building is reborn. The cleaning has once again given the granite back its shining white appearance. The use of the building has changed, from a private college to a public office with members of the public welcomed inside. It is now the home of the local government of the city and as such the rebirth of the building is symbolic of the significant cultural change that has taken place.
The high quality interiors make use of all the various idiosyncrasies of the original building:
• The vehicle entrance pend is fully restored as the new grand entrance lobby.
• The tall windows to Broad Street are used
to create impressive spaces in the double height Reception and CSC.
• The retained Senate Room is restored to host marriage ceremonies as part of the registrar’s suit.
• The north west tower is used to house glass walled lifts with views out of the leaded glass windows.
• The bay window on Gallowgate is used to site a stack of meeting rooms exploiting the large windows and good views.
• The perpendicular roof over the main en trance is used for the 60 person seminar room with the original rooflights making the space bright and airy.
• Two reclaimed granite windows are used to highlight the north wing atrium space as an internal reminder of the grand exterior.
• The lower ground floor café inhabits the basement space adjacent Broad Street with the eye brow windows shedding light.
The building installs a high quality office interior and accommodates over 1000 staff within the confines of a much loved and restored civic building and in doing so, not only preserves the original building but enhances its appreciation.
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