2008
So far 2008 has been one of our busiest years. We have seen the opening of the new visitor centre at Culloden, Garrison House on Great Cumbrae and the completion of Berwick Town Workspace in Berwick upon Tweed. These projects have featured in a number of articles in the Press. The largest project in the office - the remodelling of the Royal Museum Edinburgh - continues to pick up speed with the enabling works contract now almost complete, and the main contract now let. We are very pleased to have been selected by Gareth Hoskins Architects to work on the Scottish Pavilion for the Venice Biennale, which they won in the recent Competition. This small but complex structure has been an exciting challenge and huge fun to work on. Our conservation and heritage building work is increasing with projects in Shetland and Glasgow. Our work base has continued to expand as has our workforce.
We now have employees from all over the world - all adding greatly to our skills and experience. Our office in Glasgow is still to be completed - unfortunately the pressures of the commercial world on our Landlord have meant that completing flats to sell in the development has been a greater priority for him than finishing our office! It is, however, hoped that the new office will be up and running in the Autumn. We are currently recruiting for staff to work there. In early June we saw the formal retiral of Jack Scott and his standing down as a Director in the Practice. However, we are pleased to say that it was immediately revealed that he is staying on as a Consultant on a reduced week. He has been a great boon to the office over his eight years here and the Practice is lucky not to be losing his experience and skills. Two of our senior staff - Martin Forbes and Stephen Farrar - sat their professional examinations and have both passed and are now full members of the Institution of Civil Engineers - adding to the high level of professional skills available to our Clients.
Dumfries House
The Practice is delighted to be working with Oliver Chapman Architects for the Great Steward of Scotland's Dumfries House Trust on a £1m refurbishment of the house and the creation of a visitor centre. Dumfries House was designed and built by Robert and John Adam for the Fifth Earl of Dumfries. Completed in 1758, the magnificent Palladian mansion, set in a 750 acre estate, is one of the grandest and most imposing houses in Scotland.
Culloden Visitor Centre
The Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre officially opened on 16th April. The £8m project is the largest construction scheme The National Trust for Scotland has ever undertaken. The centre is designed to help immerse visitors in history and features a special interactive exhibition following a real life character through the years of the Jacobite rebellion. The Practice is proud to have been working with Gareth Hoskins Architects on such a presitgious project and delighted that it was short listed for the 2008 RIBA Awards. It is also one of four Scottish buildings to be shortlisted for the inaugural World Architecture Festival Awards.
Garrison House
The Practice has been working with Lee Boyd Architects on this £4.5m project. Garrison House is a Grade B listed traditional stone masonry building overlooking the Firth of Clyde at Millport which served a multitude of purposes until a fire destroyed almost the entire fabric of the building. The Cumbrae Community Development Company has returned the building to its former splendor housing a new library, museum, surgery and community facilities. To achieve this a sensitive approach has been required to retain as much of the existing fabric as possible whilst accepting the limitations set by the fragile and waterlogged state of the fabric.
Lamb's House
One of Leith's finest buildings will be restored to its former glory under plans that will also re-open a medieval close. The project comprises the sympathetic redevelopment of the A-listed Lamb's House, a 17th century former Merchant's House in Leith. The building is of significant architectural and historical importance and is being purchased from the National Trust for Scotland. The redevelopment will see the building, currently dilapidated and in partial office use, restored to its original residential apartment occupation, while a new extension will allow some office use and the re-creation of the currently stopped up Water's Close. The Practice is working together with EDI and Cadell2 Wiszniewski Thomson Architects.
Arduaine
We are delighted to have been collaborating with studioKAP Architects on this bespoke private dwelling in Arduaine. The house is situated on the beach adjacent to the village with wonderful views from the cantilevered sitting room to the South, to Jura and Islay.
Lindifferon
The Practice has been working with Edinburgh-based Blue Property on their inaugural development, Lindifferon Court in Ladybank, Fife. This is a conversion of a category B steading into four homes. Blue Property is pioneering a new generation of property developers committed to utilising green building techniques to create homes with sound eco-credentials. Designed by Elizabeth Roxburgh Architects the building's original features have been retained whilst delivering high levels of energy efficiency.
Awards
The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has awarded a 2008 RIBA Award to Todlaw Supported Housing, Duns, Oliver Chapman Architects. The Practice is delighted to have worked on this project and that another project, the Culloden Battlefield Visitors Centre with Gareth Hoskins Architects was shortlisted. At the Scottish Design Awards Oliver Chapman Architects received a Commendation for Todlaw Supported Housing.
The Bridge Arts Centre, Glasgow with Gareth Hoskins Architects received Commendation at The Civic Trust Awards 2008. Dysart Artworks & Town Trail, Fife with City Design Co-operative Ltd and Artist, Donald Urquhart received Mentions.
The Culloden Visitors Centre has also recently been shortlisted for the World Architecture Award.
Staff News
Congratulations to Martin Forbes and Stephen Farrar who have passed their ICE profesional review and are now fully chartered members of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
The Practice is delighted to welcome all the new staff. Eneko Zaldibar, Immy Tricker, Marcin Nagorski and Lizzy Kamaruddin have joined as Structural Engineers and Edyta Sadowska and Prince Mudzongo as Structural Technicians. Lorna Pedreschi has joined as an Administrative Assistant.
James Lewis leaves at the end of this month to go travelling. The Practice hope that he has a great trip and look forward to hearing all about it when he returns in a year.
Study Trip
Munich was the destination for this year's study trip. We saw a variety of interesting buildings over the weekend. The Deutsches Museum of Science & Technology was a popular choice and most people agreed it was one of the best places visited. Unsurprisingly the bridge construction exhibits were a hot topic of conversation at dinner that night! A close contender was the Roof Tour at the Olympic Park on Sunday. There were fantastic views over Munich and to the Alps as we climbed around the edge of the roof, as a cycle race came to a finish in the stadium below us. The modern BMW Complex was very slick and was an interesting contrast to the Pinakothek Moderne, Schloss Nymphenburgh, the Englischer Garten and the Baroque churches visited.
