National Nuclear Archive, Wick Building, Scottish Project News, NDA Design, Property

National Nuclear Archive, Wick

Building Development in northern Scotland – design by Reiach and Hall Architects

23 Dec 2009

National Nuclear Archive Scotland

Reiach and Hall appointed for Major New National Archive

Award-winning Edinburgh architecture practice Reiach and Hall has been commissioned for the development of the national nuclear archive, a new £15 million facility in Wick. Reiach and Hall will start work in January 2010 and the proposed completion date for the project is for the summer of 2013. Randall Bargelt, Director of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), commented; “This is a UK facility which will be housed in a building of international quality, a new asset for the Wick community and a hugely important store of history and knowledge.”

Sketch of Reiach and Hall’s porposed Scottish National Nuclear Archive design:

image from architect

Councillor David Flear of the Landward Caithness ward, was on a judging panel which included local peer Lord Maclennan of Rogart (an Honorary Fellow of RIAS) and international architect Kathryn Findlay of Ushida Findlay. He said of the result; “I am convinced that we have chosen a firm of architects who will create a new landmark for Caithness and a building of which we can all be proud. This is an important initiative which will deliver jobs and boost the local economy.”

Reiach and Hall won the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award in 2007 for the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness. Neil Gillespie, Director of the practice, commented; ”We are absolutely thrilled to have been selected as architects for the National Nuclear Archive and the Caithness Archive in Wick. There are relatively few projects of this quality at present. We are aware how fortunate we are. The project has everything – a really interesting and demanding brief and it is located in the North, one of the most inspirational areas of Scotland.”

David Dunbar, President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), which managed the selection process said; “The Incorporation is delighted to be involved with such a major UK commission. The selection process was very fair and meticulous and will, I am sure, result in a fine building.”

The winning design was selected from a strong shortlist which included BDP, Broadway Malayan, Gareth Hoskins Architects and JM Architects after a competitive interview selection process managed by the RIAS for Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL), the site licensed company employed by the NDA to decommission Dounreay.

Scottish National Nuclear Archive image / information received 231209

Reiach and Hall

Location: Wick, northern Scotland