BREEAM schemes in two cities

By STEWART McINTOSH

and JIM DOW

A PLANNING application has been submitted for a £40 million mixed-use development at 110 Queen Street, Glasgow. Submitted by The Holmes Partnership on behalf of Valad Property Group, the proposal comprises 255,000 sq ft of office space, plus retail on the ground floor.

Located at the corner of Ingram Street and surrounded mainly by A-listed buildings, including GOMA, the challenge for Holmes’ architects was to deliver a building that would respect and enhance the historic city-centre surroundings. The design aims to achieve an 'Excellent' BREEAM rating for environmental design and specification.

The first eight storeys will be stone-clad with randomly positioned window openings to chime with the adjoining

The Cube on Leith Street, Edinburgh

Victorian buildings, but in a modern style. A glazed upper section, extending above the stone structure, has a double-façade.

A decision on the planning application is expected later in the year.

Meanwhile, Kilmartin has revealed the detailed design of the 66,000 sq ft office building to be constructed in Leith Street, at the east end of Princes Street, in Edinburgh.

The new building, which bears the name The Cube, has been forward purchased by IVG UK.

The development will have main floor plates of 12,500 sq ft, and a top floor office suite of 6,000

Valad proposal - 110 Queen Street, Glasgow

sq ft. Completion is scheduled for October next year.

The building is designed to maximise daylight and ventilation but minimise heat loss, air leakage and unwanted heat gain, particularly in summer. In addition, the warmth and light entering the building will be managed by an integrated system of moveable, full-height screens and it is – again - designed to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating.

Mark Hancock, chief executive of Kilmartin, says: “Projects such as The Cube allow us to transfer knowledge across Kilmartin, from the innovative techniques gained on our current large-scale development and regeneration schemes and re-applying it to our current projects throughout the UK. In doing so, we aim to ensure that we promote the highest standards of sustainable development and deliver the best environmental performance from our projects.”

Architect for the scheme is Allan Murray; the main contractor is Sir Robert McAlpine and the agents are Jones Lang LaSalle and Cushman & Wakefield.