Scottish Executive building, Victoria Quay Leith architect, photo, Location, Scotland government offices
Scottish Executive Leith : Victoria Quay Offices
Scottish Government Administration Building, VQ, Edinburgh design by RMJM Architects
Scottish Executive Building, Victoria Quay, Leith, Edinburgh, southeast Scotland, UK
Dates built: 1993-96
Design: RMJM Scotland
Now titled Scottish Government Building
Scottish Government Leith
The Scottish Executive – formerly the Scottish Office – is a solid building in symmetrical three-storey shape possibly to recall warehouse that existed previously on the site, though one suspects the shape was highly cost-efficient; interesting sandblasted sculpture/screen at back of entrance hall, two atria to each side.
building from Victoria Dock © Adrian Welch
Victoria Quay is located in the centre of a huge redevelopment area mostly owned by Forth Ports. The building was opened on 1 Jul 1996 by HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Victoria Quay building has 35,000 sq.m of accommodation on four floors and is 250m long.
photograph 2007 © Jason Baxter
The East facade facing the sea presents a quiet scene devoid of any quayside life such as break-out spaces; perhaps this is due to security reasons. The Scottish Executive building has an austere symmetrical feel with sandstone coloured rational facades and ‘lighter’ grey metal cladding above. The Scottish Executive building atria are based on a sustainable approach to architecture.
Scottish Executive Building architects : RMJM Scotland
Scottish Executive: rotunda from Commercial Quay © Adrian Welch
The Victoria Quay building was built as an extension of the old Scottish Office. It replaced New St. Andrews House on Leith St (top of Leith Walk). The building became part of the Scottish Executive following devolution to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. It is the largest single office of the Scottish Executive and contains Development and Education Departments.
The base build cost for this large office building was approximately £47m
Some departments migrated to the Victoria Dock office building upon its completion fromSt Andrew’s House
Scan of photo © Adrian Welch
Location: Edinburgh, Midlothian, southeast Scotland, UK
Also by RMJM in Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament
The original Victoria Quay (1847-51) represented a major enlargement of the Port of Leith into the sea away from the shoreline of Commercial Street. Cargo sheds and Whisky Bonds – such as Patterson’s Warehouses – were developed towards the end of the 19th Century, which have now been redeveloped into apartments, shops and restaurants.
Just to the north of Victoria Quay is the Ocean Terminal, Western Harbour, 2001
Scottish Capital Building Designs
Contemporary Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:
Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project
image courtesy of EHDP
Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project
Rowanbank Gardens Edinburgh Property
image courtesy of Artisan Real Estate
Rowanbank Gardens Edinburgh Housing
Comments / photos for the Scottish Government Building Edinburgh design by RMJM Architects page welcome