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BT Offices, Alexander Graham Bell House

Bennetts Associates, Edinburgh, 1998

 

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Main facade 

Peter Cook/VIEW (website)     Download Original

  • Main facade    
  • Night view    
  • Entrance facade    
  • View from the lake    
  • View of a void    
  • View of entrance atrium    
  • The curved, glazed facade    
  •     
  • Double height spaces create a light and airy environment    
  • The building enjoys wide views of the city    
  • Louvre detail    
  • Site plan    
  • Ground floor plan    
  • Long section    
  • Working detail: section through outside wall    
  • Working detail: louvre    

Low-energy offices, with extensive views of the city of Edinburgh

A three-storey rectangular box contains most of the office functions, while the social functions – restaurant, café and boardroom – are located in a cylindrical drum sitting in a landscaped lake.

This drum is strategically sited to take maximum advantage of the wide-ranging views of Edinburgh Castle, the Pentland Hills and the Forth Bridge.
Glazing is limited on the entrance façade to provide it with a more private feel, while the lakeside elevation is fully glazed and backed by three-storey high voids.

To achieve good levels of natural lighting and ventilation, the building has a plan of 13.5m in depth. The concrete structure is exposed in order to maximize passive cooling and heat gains are controlled through the application of external louvers.

Data

  • Begun: Dec 1997
  • Completed: Mar 1998
  • Floor area: 13,935m2
  • Sector: Office
  • Total cost: £18.2M
  • Tender date: Oct 1997
  • Procurement: JCT 1981 with contractor's design
  • Address: Alexander Graham Bell House, 1 Lochside View, Edinburgh Park, Edinburgh, EH12 9DF, United Kingdom

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