BDG McCOLL DELIGHTED TO HAVE WON BCO AWARD FOR STANDARD LIFE BUILDING

BDG McColl last night won the award for best corporate workplace in Scotland for Dundas House, Standard Life’s sales and marketing offices in Edinburgh, in the 2003 British Council for Office Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

Dundas House, converted from a 1970’s property, accommodates 1,200 of Standard Life’s staff in 13,225sq m of open plan floor space. Despite the restricted floor to floor heights of the original building structure, the finished building provides an office environment that maximise flexibility, and encourages interaction amongst the staff. Floorplates, space planning layouts, and infrastructure have been carefully structured to minimise the effects of churn, allowing the building to operate at its maximum potential at all times.
Spaces have been carefully designed to respond to the changing needs of the business on both a day to day basis, and also in the longer term. This is exemplified by the atrium space, formerly an unused courtyard, that now accommodates the staff restaurant, as well as being the main thoroughfare for the building. It also provides touchdown facilities, a café, shop, and is used throughout the day for informal meetings, as well as being capable of accommodating large audiences for company presentations. The space is, therefore, not only fully utilised at all times, but has life and vitality in a space that is at the centre of the building’s day to day activities.
The use of innovative solutions, such as the integrated chilled beams, has allowed a previously obsolete building to be brought back into use as a modern office environment without compromising either the functioning of the building, or the working environment.
Graeme Dick, Assistant Premises Manager for Standard Life said: “BDG have succeeded in translating Standard Life’s design brief of creating a flexible environment to meet the changing needs of business into a world class working environment which is stunning but at the same time practical and operationally efficient”.

Nick Kemp, Managing Director of BDG McColl, Architects and Designers, said:
“We are delighted to have won this award, and see this as a recognition of the strong partnership between client, design team, and contractors on this project in working closely together to create and deliver solutions that are relevant to Standard Life’s needs to efficiently and effectively carry out their business.”

*** Notes for Editors ***
BDG McColl is an architecture and design practice specialising in the design of commercial buildings and interiors. As part of the WPP Group BDG McColl has developed a reputation for delivering award winning projects at competitive costs in short timescales.

Team members involved in the project include:
Project Managers & Quantity Surveyors – Thomas & Adamson
Landscape Architects – Derek Carter Associates
M&E Engineers – KJ Tait
Structural Engineers – Woolgar Hunter
Planning Supervisors – Reiach & Hall Consultants
Construction Manager – Sir Robert McAlpine

The BCO holds an Annual Awards Programme to provide public recognition for design and functionality as part of its mission to research, develop and communicate best practice in all aspects of the commercial office sector.