Marischal College - Our New Corporate Headquarters
Aberdeen City Council's move to Marischal College has reached a significant milestone. A robust selection process has produced a team of key professionals best adjudged to deliver the Marischal Project.
A leading Scottish architectural practice has been appointed to design the scheme to convert Marischal College into the City Council's new corporate HQ. Holmes Partnership, one of Scotland's most respected practices, was chosen from a shortlist of five by an Aberdeen City Council selection panel.
The practice, which has offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, will act as lead consultant on the Marischal Project, as part of a team comprising Arup Scotland as the civil and structural engineer and Wallace Whittle as building
services engineer.
Glasgow and Edinburgh-based Doig+Smith meanwhile have been chosen by the panel as chartered quantity surveyors for the project, and Gardiner and Theobald as the project managers.
Holmes's projects have included major city centre regeneration projects, including commercial, public sector and residential developments. The practice was founded in 1951 and has grown to become an experienced and specialist team of over 50 professional staff, committed to the promotion of sustainable design and construction.
The team brings to the Marischal Project a wealth of experience in carrying out sensitive conversions of fine buildings, which have involved replacing their interiors with modern developments and retaining their historic facades.
Holmes turned the A-listed former bank in the heart of Glasgow's commercial district at 110 St Vincent Street into a spectacular office development, with new floors and a rooftop glass extension. They also designed the conversion to turn an A-listed 1854 building on a prominent corner site on Albion Street, Glasgow, into the Apartment Hotel. This project dealt with complex refurbishment, combining extensive alteration and renovation behind existing facades. The scheme required careful liaison with the planning authority and Historic Scotland, especially on stonework restoration.
Aberdeen City Council leader Councillor Kate Dean said: "The appointment of these firms, who are among the leaders in their fields, puts in place a real A-team worthy of converting our A-listed Marischal College.
"Aberdeen deserves the best for its building. I believe we have signed up the architects, engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors who are as excited and as enthusiastic as we at the council are about completing this unique project."
Marischal College Advisory and Monitoring Board convenor Councillor John Stewart said: "Assembling this team takes us into the exciting next phase of bringing the city's most notable building back into use and reinvigorating the east end of the city centre. Citizens can be sure that the board will monitor the project extremely close to make sure it remains on time and on budget."
