BBC Scotland headquarters

Located alongside Glasgow’s former docks, the BBC Scotland headquarters sits on an exposed plot of land adjacent to the River Clyde. Faced with this open landscape, the building needed to assert its own sense of place and satisfy the brief that called for an enclosed yet publicly accessible building which would allow visibility of the BBC at work while maintaining tight security.

Encompassing a complex combination of production facilities, technical support and office space, the building appears as a simple glazed box, while internally it encourages creative interaction between its many occupants through a vast central atrium. The atrium is configured as a tiered sequence of steps, platforms and terraces, crafted from local red sandstone. Circulation and communication through the building and between office floors is facilitated by this promenade, which not only offers informal meeting areas but also encourages movement between spaces, giving visual representation to the public aspect of the building. The atrium was not part of the original brief but conceived by the practice without the need for any additional floor area. This solution enhanced the importance of the public and social space, which has become an integral part of the daily workings of the institution.