Mark Melville

A significant step in the reconstruction of one of the UK's most iconic buildings has been taken with a topping out ceremony at Marischal College.

The ceremony took place on the highest point in the 100-year-old A-listed building, which is being transformed into Aberdeen City Council's new civic headquarters by contractors Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.

Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Peter Stephen, The Lord said: "This is a significant and exciting step forward in the Marischal College renovation programme. The topping out ceremony marks the hard work carried out to date, not only by the firms involved but also by council officers who have ensured that the work has continued apace and considerably below the budget originally set for it. Marischal College is a remarkable, stunning and world-renowned building which the people of Aberdeen are extremely proud of. It is fitting that Marischal College should be a public building for the people of the city."

The new structural frame within the retained facades is complete and all new structural floors have been installed. The eleven façade retention towers used to stabilise the structure have all been removed. The main focus is now on sealing Marischal College and making it wind and watertight to allow progression of the internal fit out works. Completion is scheduled for summer 2011. The total capital expenditure required for the project is now £65.8 million - well within the original approved budget of £80.4 million.

Apart from Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, the project team included Holmes Partnership as architects, Arup Scotland as civil and structural engineers, and building services engineers Wallace Whittle. Doig+Smith are the chartered quantity surveyors for the scheme, and Gardiner & Theobald the project managers.

The scheme involves the demolition of the college interior, which will be replaced by a 21st century office building providing 174,000 sq ft of modern office space on six floors.
The conversion retains all the granite elevations, provides a public open space within the quadrangle, and comprises a predominantly open-plan interior of contemporary and sustainable design.

Over 4,200 tons of waste were created during the internal demolition works at Marischal College, 90% of which was recycled or reused in some way instead of being sent to landfill.

Back story:
The Marischal conversion emerged as the best-value scheme to create a new corporate council HQ after exhaustive studies comparing it with two other competing solutions - a new-build office block on a greenfield site, or a root-and-branch refurbishment of the existing St Nicholas House headquarters.

The A-listed Marischal College, designed by A Marshall Mackenzie and Archibald Simpson, is a structure of national significance and the second largest granite building in the world. The renowned Marshall Mackenzie frontage was completed in 1906 in the heyday of Aberdeen's granite industry. The building lay vacant and neglected after the University of Aberdeen quit the vast bulk of the premises in the 1990s.

The Marischal College site is historically important in Aberdeen as a seat of learning since the 16th century. It was home to the Franciscan Friary, one of Aberdeen's major religious houses, from the late 15th century. Archaeologists were on hand during the demolition process to uncover the many secrets that the site holds, including the remains of some Franciscan monks.

www.aberdeencity.gov.uk
www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com
www.holmespartnership.com
www.arup.com
www.wallacewhittle.co.uk
www.doigandsmith.co.uk
www.gardiner.com