Scottish Widows Headquarters

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Facts

Location	Client	Cost	Completion	Awards
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	Scottish Widows	£70m	1997	3

Project details

An HQ for a major UK life assurance company in keeping with the unique urban fabric of Edinburgh.

The competition winning design concept evolved from a process of matching the brief with the opportunities presented by the site.

Occupying a large quarter of a city block BDP's strategy divided the plan into separate parts (for separate letting) and arranged these around an atrium raised a level above the street.

Energy efficient shallow-plan offices enclose private and public spaces including the large atrium, a public walkway through the scheme and a central circus which covers underground public parking for 200 cars.

...one can admire BDP's professional delivery of a high quality workplace
Architecture Today

Brief

accommodating a modern commercial building in the fabric of the historic city
a site designed to allow for future phases of development

Results

provides an efficient flexible working environment for 1500 staff with related corporate, training and support functions
a dynamic atrium which “ acts like an open piazza, as if the life of the street has moved indoors”
a 72 unit housing development on adjoining the site as phase 2