The Silver Fin Building on Union Street, has been recognised as one of the best workplaces in Scotland at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) regional awards.
The BCO Awards programme recognises the highest quality developments in the UK and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector.
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The Silver Fin Building was named as the winner of the Best Commercial Workplace category. Marischal Square in Aberdeen was Highly Commended in the same category.
The Silver Fin building, was praised by the judging panel as a best in class office development which has revitalised the streetscape. The 132,000 sq ft development utilizes high quality, locally sourced materials, both internally and externally, and despite the physical constraints of the site has embraced the principles of the BCO guide to specification and achieved a BREEAM rating of Very Good and EPC A certification. The judges noted how the building core has been designed with tenants in mind, ensuring that common area spaces are proportional and functional and serve users in a ‘practical and elegant fashion’. Overall, the judging panel agreed that both Titan Investors (who developed the site speculatively), and the designers, should be proud of their ‘brave approach’ to the design and execution of this building, and of the impact it has had on the local areas.
David Dool, Director at Cooper Cromar and Chair of BCO Scottish Judging Panel, said: “The prevailing theme from this year’s entries is a focus from occupiers on bringing people together within a range of work settings, something which is evident across the consistently high standard of workplaces being judged. This has manifested itself in various ways across the projects, such as incorporating spaces within a workplace designated for group collaboration, or the inclusion of fun and irreverent design features around which people can gather. We are confident that occupiers and their employees will benefit from this sense of togetherness, and the associated increase in productivity and impact on wellness that it can bring.”
Bill Ritchie, Director at Atelier Ten and BCO Scottish Committee Chair said: “This year’s Scottish winners have covered workplaces from a range of sectors, including those of some of our most iconic large companies. Entrants have sought to design offices which deliver more for their staff and are engaging more than ever in the fastest pace of change ever witnessed in the design of our workplaces. Defurbishment, health and wellbeing, wearable technology and a tectonic change in corporate culture and what we want from our buildings has created a most exciting competition. Many entries have also delivered more for their communities, adding a striking focal point to their local area or enhancing the public realm in a stylish and refreshing way. All entrants should be proud of their achievements, and the industry should feel reassured of a bright future borne by such talent.”
Other workplaces across Scotland that also received recognition include:
- Registers of Scotland – RSV Platform at St Vincent Plaza, Glasgow (Winner, Fit out of Workplace)
- itison house (Winner, Best Projects up to 1,500 m. sq.)
- Greenside, Edinburgh (Winner, Best Refurbished / Recycled category)
- Standard Life Aberdeen in Edinburgh (Winner, Best Corporate Workplace)
- The Edrington Group, Glasgow (Winner, Innovation).
This is the tenth year that the Regional Awards have been presented locally in Scotland, celebrating excellence in office space regionally, before all winners go on to compete at a national level at the National Awards in October.
