We are delighted to have been appointed by Abellio ScotRail as Lead Design Consultant for the delivery phase of the £8m redevelopment of Aberdeen Station.

Austin-Smith:Lord were originally appointed as part of the design team in January 2017 to provide pre-construction architectural services. The scope of work developed from previous studies by Abellio ScotRail’s team and extended to include the design of new accommodation for LNER and Abellio ScotRail. The need to enhance the existing station and create a more conspicuous and fitting entrance for arrival and departure in Scotland’s 3^rd largest city was also identified during the design process and will include new signage and feature lighting.

The project also includes:

• A Glazed pod for 1^st class and the new sleeper service passengers to be inserted within the concourse area at first floor level with waiting, toilet & shower facilities.
• Reconfiguration of existing Station retail units with glazed extensions to the concourse frontage to provide enhanced facilities for passengers and station users.
• Conversion of existing ticket office and 1^st class lounge to create additional retail space with active frontage directly onto Union Square.
• Refurbishment of the 2 storey North Corner building for commercial lease including repairs to the building envelope to safeguard the fabric of this A-listed property.
• Re-provision of ticket office into reconfigured accommodation within the listed sandstone pavilion building centrally and conveniently located in the concourse.
• Upgrade of existing station concourse area.
• Creation of new accommodation for station maintenance, train care and station staff.
• Remodelling of existing station accommodation to provide enhanced welfare facilities for station staff, train crews and LNER.
• Reconfiguration of taxi rank area to integrate cycle storage, hostile vehicle mitigation, improved taxi waiting areas and enhancement to finishes and lighting to improve the passenger appearance.

The design process required close collaboration with Abellio ScotRail in consultation with Network Rail, Aberdeen City Council Planning and Building Control, specialist suppliers and the local accessibility panel.

A phasing strategy was devised by the design team and Abellio ScotRail during the pre-tender stage and is subsequently being developed by the contractor Morrison Construction to allow the station to remain operational with a safe environment for staff, station users and passengers provided during construction.

Contractors will begin work on the site when it is safe to do so, following the current Coronavirus pandemic. The project will be completed in stages, with work on the station redevelopment expected to take around one year to complete. Given that the project was conceived pre Covid-19, the delivery methodology therefore is currently being adapted to comply with Scottish Government guidelines.

Kirsty Devlin, ScotRail Head of Projects, said “The redevelopment of Aberdeen station will see significant enhancements in retail, improved access to the station, a new ticket office, and new first-class lounge.

“The investment we are making in the North East – in the redevelopment of Aberdeen station, the Aberdeen to Inverness improvement programme, and in Inter7City trains connecting Scotland’s seven cities – means it’s an exciting time for this part of the country.”

Austin-Smith:Lord’s Project Director/Lead Designer, Andrew McCafferty said “Having worked on the project since January 2017, we are delighted that it has received funding. We have enjoyed collaborating with Abellio ScotRail during the design process to develop a solution that will enhance the quality of environment for station users and improve the passenger experience to and from Scotland’s 3^rd largest city. In collaboration with our sub consultants Fairhurst and SVM, we look forward to working with Morrison Construction during the delivery phase.”