Innovation is recognised as British Council for Offices honour several of Scotland’s most ingenious spaces, writes Colin Cardwell

It’s easy to become blasé about business awards – a hotel ballroom buzzing with congratulation (and self-congratulation) and a late bar. What’s sometimes forgotten are the hours of poring over projects, company visits and judges who take valuable hours out of senior jobs to identify what is being done best in the industry or profession and what can be done better. 

The British Council for Offices’ (BCO) annual Scottish Property Awards which were held at the EICC in Edinburgh last week are regarded as one of the premier property networking events of the year and the lunch (no 3am bar) is an opportunity to stimulate new thinking on the design, development and occupation of offices in Scotland.

The increasingly sophisticated requirements of staff occupying our offices are being impressively met in today’s buildings, according to Bill Ritchie, lead director of environmental design consultants, lighting designers and building engineers Atelier Ten and chairman of the Scottish committee of the (BCO).

“Workplaces are now being designed to meet the needs of a new generation who want more than the stale office environments of yesteryear,” he said.
 

“BCO membership in Scotland is at an all-time high and these awards demonstrate it is having a very real change in our approach to office design and culture. The awards recognise the ‘best in class’ across a wide range of benchmarked metrics and our winners should be very proud of what they’ve achieved”.

Two buildings in Edinburgh were recognised as among the best workplaces in Scotland with 2 Semple Street, a Grade-A office development, awarded Best Commercial Workplace for the ingenuity it showed in bringing to life a challenging listed site in the city centre. The judges were impressed by the change delivered to the core layout of the building which features adjustable floor plates that maximise natural daylight throughout the space.  

KPMG Edinburgh was awarded the Best Workplace Fit-Out accolade, following the success of its Glasgow office last year in the same category. The judges noted how the fit out matches its tenant’s standing as a global business and the panel praised the considered spacing and attention to detail, which it said reflected the authenticity of the Old Town and the elegance of the New Town. They were also impressed that the project was delivered with KMPG in occupation.  Three west coast buildings – The Garment Factory, Threesixty Architecture Studio in Glasgow and 16 Church Street – were also applauded. 

The Garment Factory, located in Glasgow’s Merchant City, was awarded Best Refurbished/ Recycled Workplace for effectively transforming the Grade B listed workplace into a modern, dynamic workplace, which has succeeded in attracting a wide range of tenants from the technology and creative industries. The judges praised the bravery of the project and the commitment to quality throughout the office saying that the result is a space that complements the building’s history while delivering comfort and flexibility for its occupiers. 

Threesixty Architecture Studio won Best Project Up To 1,500 sq m. The judges praised the collaborative approach taken by the project team, who worked with the occupiers throughout the design to deliver a project that reflects a company culture of debate, innovation and collaboration. The finished office offers multiple styles of work space, including an event area, a kitchen and ‘chill out spaces’, all with easy access to daylight and greenery. 
Dumbarton’s 16 Church Street was awarded both Best Corporate Workplace and the Innovation Award. The judges felt the project tells “a compelling story of regeneration,” bringing dignity and purpose to an old-fashioned, previously decaying building. The new home of West Dunbartonshire Council has brought 500 employees closer together over three floors centred around a single atrium.
The recipient of the Chairman’s Award was the recently retired Mike Galloway who masterminded the £1 billion regeneration of Dundee Waterfront.

He said:  “I am very honoured to receive such a prestigious award from the BCO.  I’d like to thank all of the colleagues who have worked with me over the last 40 years in Glasgow, London, Manchester and Dundee.”

David Dool, Director at Cooper Cromar and Chair of the BCO Scottish Judging Panel, added his congratulations: “This year’s Scottish Regional BCO judging visits revealed, yet again, a really impressive range of projects. As ever, choosing our winners this year was a real challenge – and the judging panel and I are confident we can be very optimistic about the future of Scotland’s workplace design.”
colin.cardwell@heraldandtimes.co.uk