Archial won a limited design competition to design the £3.7 million ($5.91 million) Marine Operations Centre in 2003. The building replaced the nearby Navigation Control Centre known as ‘The Roundhouse’, built in 1803. It houses the latest Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) equipment; an upgraded ship’s bridge training simulator; training room; an emergency response room; and other facilities.
Located on a site at the entry to Aberdeen Harbour, the building design features two interlocking curvilinear forms. These forms were inspired by coastal and maritime architecture, supporting a modern glass structure, suggesting a ship’s bow and bridge.
The interaction of two interlocking forms was based on two elements: solid and light. The solid element was built from precast concrete with pure white aggregate and comprises the stairs, lift and toilet core. The light element, which houses the main accommodation spaces, features facetted glazing around its perimeter providing reflections of the building’s setting. The ground floor area has been kept to a minimum to lighten the connection between the building and the surrounding landscape.
The building also used eco-friendly elements featuring a mixed mode ventilation/cooling system. The system uses displacement ventilation for the main floorplates with the solid core used as a thermal mass and vertical ventilation stack.
The Aberdeen Society of Architects, a chapter of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, represents some 200 Chartered Architects within the city of Aberdeen, across Aberdeenshire and Morayshire in Scotl
