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Pier One, Leith Docks
Brief
Keppie was invited, as part of a major design competition, to submit proposals for a new headquarters office building for Forth Ports Plc near their existing facilities at Leith Docks. Their requirements were for a significant landmark building with a high level of efficient and flexible office accommodation that would be environmentally, socially and financially sustainable. The brief was for a minimum of forty eight thousand square feet gross floorspace and sixty car parking spaces.
Response
The site was very challenging, where the limited availability of land suggested a high, dramatic response that would offer fantastic views across the water and back towards
The significant requirement for car parking was dealt with by a "floating" parking structure anchored to a vertical circulation pillar. This allowed the external spaces around the building"s entrances to have as much of a prioritised public realm as possible. It also permitted our proposals to respond positively to the scale of the neighbouring residential context.
Outcome
The design created a hierarchical structure for the organisation with commanding views from the upper "decks". A total of forty nine thousand, seven hundred and fifty square feet of gross floorspace was created with the suggestion that the smaller ground floor plate be a mix of café, bar or restaurant facilities to contribute to the developing area at street level. The building was also set back from the principal street edge in order to accommodate the introduction of a new tramline connecting Leith to the centre of
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Pier One, Forth Ports, Leith Oakbank Business Park, Aberdeen