The BCO celebrates Scotland’s best workplaces at its annual Awards

A new age for retrofit; pushing the boundaries on circularity; and celebrating sustainability and heritage. Those were just a few of the key messages shared as seven incredible workspaces were crowned winners of the BCO Scotland Awards today.

Held at Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel, the BCO’s annual Scottish Awards lunch, hosted by comedian Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, recognised projects that demonstrate best practice in office design, fit-out, operation and sustainability, setting the bar for excellence across the sector.

The BCO Award winners for Scotland are:

• Projects up to 1,500 sq. m: BDP Studio, Glasgow
• Refurbished / Recycled workplace: Lucent, Glasgow
• Fit-out of Workplace: PwC at Aurora, Glasgow
• Corporate Workplace: 20 Brandon Street, Edinburgh
• Commercial Workplace: 30 Semple Street, Edinburgh
• Innovation: Health Innovation Hub, Glasgow
• ESG: Cundall New Clarendon, Edinburgh

The Committee Chair’s Award, for an outstanding contribution to the Scottish property industry, was also presented to MLA’s Gillian Stewart.

Peter Kerr, chair of the BCO Scotland committee, said: “I am delighted with the calibre and diversity of this year’s winners. From creative retrofits to cutting‑edge lab space, each project demonstrates the quality, sustainability and occupier focus that the BCO champions. The strength of entries from both Glasgow and Edinburgh shows how resilient and adaptable Scotland’s office market remains.”

 Tim Griffin, chair of the Scottish Judging panel, added:  “This year’s entries continued the trends of previous years with a clear shift towards improved environmental performance, reduced embodied carbon, and a consistent ambition to the increase colleague attendance in the office by embracing experiential design principles. It was great to see a number of entries in the Commercial Workplace category this year after a no-show last year, and an increased focus on refurbishment and remodelling of existing office stock.”

 “Scotland never disappoints when it comes to showcasing the very best in workplace design, fit-out and operation,” said BCO chief executive, Samantha McClary, “and its brilliant to see exemplar projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh recognised by our judges.

“What continues to shine through in the BCO awards is this industry’s commitment to delivering sustainable buildings, projecting heritage and creating workspaces that work for human beings. Congratulations not just to everyone who won today, but to all those shortlisted.”

All winners from the Scotland awards will compete with other winners from across the UK at the BCO National Awards in October.

THE WINNERS:

Projects up to 1,500 sq. m: BDP Studio, Glasgow

What is it? BDP’s new Glasgow studio, occupying the historic Grosvenor Building in Glasgow’s Gordon Street.

The judges said: “Delivered with a strong focus on sustainability and enhancing their own studio culture, this scheme achieves low energy use while prioritising the reuse of existing furniture, all within a comparatively modest budget. The result is a highly successful project that demonstrates what can be achieved through creativity, rigour and commitment.”

Refurbished / Recycled workplace: Lucent, Glasgow

What is it? A newbuild wrapped in a historic façade, located on Glasgow’s Bothwell Street, with sustainability at its core.

The judges said: “Lucent is an exemplary project demonstrating how a complex and constrained building can be successfully transformed into high quality office accommodation.  The clever incorporation of the historic sandstone frontage on the upper levels preserves and celebrates the building’s heritage, whilst enabling the delivery of high-quality Grade A workspace.”

Fit-out of Workplace: PwC at Aurora, Glasgow

What is it? A highly successful fit-out for PwC within the previous BCO award winning Aurora building, creating a workplace of genuine quality and versatility.

The judges said: “The office design balances the needs of a corporate environment with a strong hospitality feel, whilst reflecting both the local culture and character of Glasgow. The inclusion of an interconnecting stair between floors is a particularly successful intervention, enhancing physical connectivity and promoting knowledge exchange across teams. Overall, this is a confident and engaging workplace that fully realises the potential of the building.”

Corporate Workplace: 20 Brandon Street, Edinburgh

What is it? An exemplary refurbishment in Edinburgh’s New Town for BlackRock, transforming a historic B-listed former printworks and 1970s office into 140,000 sq ft of modern workspace.

The judges said: ”Brandon Street exemplifies exceptional adaptive reuse, seamlessly transforming the three buildings into a cohesive workspace for 1,500 employees. The innovative reimagining of the central atrium as a vibrant social hub with bleacher seating, café, and wellness facilities demonstrates how thoughtful design can fundamentally enhance user experience and collaboration. The project’s robust sustainability achievements and inclusive design approach, developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, establish it as an exemplary example of heritage-sensitive workplace regeneration.”

Commercial Workplace: 30 Semple Street, Edinburgh

What is it? A ‘new age’ of retrofit, having been awarded the first BREEAM Outstanding certification in Scotland for an office building refurbishment. 

The judges said: “We were impressed by the quality and calibre of the enhancements – the building is unrecognisable when compared with its starting point and is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with a retrofit development.  This is reflected in the fact that 30 Semple Street has set a new benchmark for office rental levels in the city.  The amenity areas, wellbeing spaces and finishes are of a very high quality, adding a subtle luxe feel to the building which creates a real sense of place and gives the building a true personality.”

Innovation: Health Innovation Hub, Glasgow

What is it? the first purpose-built flexible lab and office building in Glasgow totalling 87,000 sq ft. Located strategically adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the building brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, and innovative companies in a collaborative ecosystem designed to promote and support innovation & growth.

The judges said: “We were extremely impressed by the integrated design approach and investment in flexible and collaborative space and design and are delighted to award this building with the Innovation Award.”

ESG: Cundall New Clarendon, Edinburgh

What is it? Cundall’s new Edinburgh office, in Edinburgh’s George Street

The judges said: “This project has pushed the boundaries on circular economy principles and is a practical demonstration of highly sustainable, cost- efficient, human-centred design, proving that high-performance, flexible, and healthy workplaces can be delivered through circularity principles, careful planning, and performance-based decision-making. It offers a replicable model for low-carbon refurbishment across the sector setting an impressive benchmark for others to follow.”

Gold sponsor’s for this year’s BCO Awards are AET Flexible Space and Troup, Bywaters + Anders. Ryden is sponsor for the Scotland region. Estates Gazette is media partner.

Please find a link to images of the winners here.

About the BCO

The British Council for Offices’ (BCO) mission is to research, develop and communicate best practice in all aspects of the office sector. It delivers this by providing a forum for the discussion and debate of relevant issues.

Established in 1990, the BCO is the UK’s leading forum for the discussion and debate of issues affecting the office sector.

Its members are all organisations involved in creating, acquiring, or occupying office space, whether architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions, or public agencies. The BCO works to advance the collective understanding of its members, enabling them to work together to create more effective office space.

BCO Scotland media contact:

lisa@skylarkpublicrelations.com

T: 07825225414