LDN Architects is to lead a design team tasked with revamping Elgin Town Hall, as part of the £31.6 million project to create a cultural quarter in the city.
The firm was appointed after impressing the local authority with its ‘clear’ and ‘thoughtful’ approach, as well as its ‘creative’ and ‘original’ concept designs. The council added that the firm pipped a number of prestigious practices from across the UK, with 23 notes of interest in total.
LDN Architects joins a wider project team of Narro (structural and civil engineers); Harley Haddow (building services engineer); Ironside Farrar (landscape architect); CharcoalBlue (theatre consultant); Sandy Brown (acoustic consultant); and OFR (fire engineer).
The creation of Elgin’s cultural quarter comes on the back of significant planned investment from the Scottish and UK governments, as well as Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Moray Council. Several key sites will be redeveloped in the city to create a connected, accessible, and ‘inspirational’ centre.
Elgin Town Hall is Moray’s largest performing arts and events space. Moray Council explained that the proposed redevelopment will overcome limitations of the current building to create a landmark 21st century performance and community space which is functional, welcoming, and connected.
The redesign of the building will improve circulation, acoustic separation, technical, and customer facilities and add a new multi-use studio space, while improving environmental performance.
Chair of Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure committee, councillor Marc Macrae, said, “I know the team are looking forward to working on the Town Hall’s important and exciting make-over with locally based practice, LDN Architects and it’s great to see this milestone reached. The Cultural Quarter has undertaken significant engagement with partners this year to boost define the plans for the project and there are some exciting developments ahead for this element of Moray’s Growth Deal.”
Stuart MacKellar, partner at LDN Architects, added, “We are thrilled to have been appointed to assist the project team to deliver this nationally important project. Working locally, Elgin is a place that is very close to our hearts, making it all the more meaningful that we will be able to develop a project that will benefit the regional community and its access to the performing arts, hopefully in a way that inspires and excites.”
