Project/Title: Scottish Oceans Institute – Gatty Marine Laboritories

Location: St Andrews

Building Type: University Campus

Completed: July 2019

System: Schuco FW50 – SG

Value: £395k

Main Contractor: Balfour Beatty Construction

Client: University of St Andrews

Architect: BMJ Architects

Note: Photos/copyright attributed to ‘BMJ Architects’.

Description: The £16.5 million Scottish Oceans Institute building at St Andrews University stands on the site of the original Gatty Marine Laboratory, which opened in 1896.

The building overlooking the East Sands boasts a state-of-the-art aquarium and research and teaching facilities.

It will create a global hub for marine research by bringing scientists into one building, accommodating visiting experts and enhancing facilities for outreach work

This design reduced the visual impact of the existing Gatty Laboratory whilst providing a contemporary solution that is ambitious and of high-quality materials that are discreet and appropriate within their context.

The solar shading ‘waves’ surrounding the building were formed out of Corten steel. Corten has a natural patina of rust that protects itself ironically from further corrosion It is a unique material that strongly connects to ideas of time, memory and nature, weathering nicely and becoming increasingly beautiful with continued exposure to the elements. That combined with the sleek lines of the Schuco FW50 Silicone Glazed system, helped to ensure the design proposal fulfilled it’s objective and reflected the importance of the historical/prominent site location to ensure key views were maintained, and the facility fitted into the urban context with materials that would not weather or deteriorate in the exposed conditions of the site on the beach front.

Marshall Brown were instrumental in providing solutions to overcome the challanging interface detail between the Corten Steel and the Schuco curtain walling system, helping to safeguard the delivery programme of the project.