17/12/2024:

Merry Christmas from Graeme Nicholls Architects

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to thank our clients, collaborators, and friends for your continued support throughout 2024.

Our office will be closed from Friday 20th December and will reopen on Monday 6th January.

Wishing you all a peaceful festive season and a happy, healthy start to 2025.

22/11/2024:

Office-to-Residential Conversion Symposium, New York

Graeme Nicholls recently attended the Office-to-Residential Conversion Symposium: Design and Technical Considerations at the American Institute of Architects' Center for Architecture in New York.

The symposium explored key topics, including zero-emission case studies like Hotel Marcel, the challenges of high-rise conversions, and the role of sustainability in adaptive reuse. The event brought together a diverse range of industry leaders, including Bruce Becker, Wendi Shafran, and Tess McNamara, offering valuable insights into reshaping urban environments.

"Events like these are vital as we address surplus commercial space and housing shortages, focusing on creating sustainable cities," Graeme commented. "It was a fantastic opportunity to learn, connect, and discuss how we can drive positive change."

With parallels to ongoing challenges in Glasgow’s city centre, Graeme looks forward to applying these insights locally. He extends his thanks to Ivan Brice AIA for arranging his participation in the event.

21/11/2024:

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NYC- Visit

Graeme Nicholls enjoyed an inspiring visit to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, renowned as one of the top architecture schools in the United States. Hosted by Peter Macapia, the visit included a tour of the department and participation in a thought-provoking Year 2 studio session focused on urban housing.

“It was such an inspiring experience,” said Graeme. “I’m so grateful to Peter and his brilliant students for sharing their work with me. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this talented group.”

Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture is internationally recognised for its innovative approach to design and commitment to addressing global challenges. Its programs emphasise critical thinking and creative problem-solving, equipping students to shape the future of the built environment.

28/10/2024:

North Four Update: First Residents Move In

We are excited to share the latest progress on our North Four project in Edinburgh, which has reached a significant milestone, with the first residents now moving into their new homes.

The development will feature 94 homes for private sale and is being delivered in collaboration with our fantastic clients, Urban Union.

With project completion in 2025, North Four has been designed to achieve net-zero operational carbon, promoting sustainable architecture and delivering energy-efficient homes. It will also provide thoughtfully designed communal outdoor spaces to foster a vibrant, inclusive community.

This is a significant achievement for our team and partners, and we are eager to see the positive effects on the community as the development progresses.

18/06/2024:

Planning Approval for the ‘Queen of Anderston’

We are delighted to announce that the Planning Applications Committee approved our scheme for 172 flats in the Anderston neighbourhood of Glasgow this morning.

The building is part of a larger project by our clients Summix, who are transforming the urban brownfield site at Central Quay into a vibrant residential quarter. The wider project will include 409 private-for-sale flats, a 934-bed student accommodation block, and commercial spaces to create active ground floors.

Our design is inspired by the neighbourhood’s rich historical links to the pottery industry. The external cladding consists of black and white ceramic panels arranged in a checkerboard pattern to represent the China White and Basalt Black glazed ceramic objects traditionally made in the area. 

The project also prioritizes environmentally conscious design, featuring easily disassembled materials, on-site renewable energy sources that exceed the baseline requirements, and a sustainable surface water drainage system.

We look forward to working with the developers and local community stakeholders on delivering this transformative project.

16/05/2024:

North Four site progress

It is great to be able to share some recent site progress photographs of our North Four project in Edinburgh, which is now well underway, with the project is set to complete in summer 2025.

The scheme for Urban Union will see 94 new homes for private sale delivered as part of the fourth and final phase of the major urban regeneration project in the Pennywell area. This development is the first application of a suite of new net-zero house types that we have designed for the client. 

15/01/2024:

North Four starts on site

It is fantastic to see our North Four project for 94 new homes in the Pennywell area of Edinburgh making good progress on-site after breaking ground at the end of 2023.  

The development, which is for private sale, is the fourth and final phase of a significant housing-led neighbourhood regeneration led by our client, Urban Union.

The project features terraces of between three and six homes, with each block designed with simple forms associated with the terraced housing typology and a robust material palette providing continuity with previous phases. 

01/12/2023:

Townend Care Home starts on site

It is really great to see our Townend House Care Home start on site this week, with great effort by our Andrew Parker on this one over the last period to get it to this key milestone.

The 385m2 extension to the historic mid-19th Century mansion house in Symington, Ayrshire will provide seven additional resident bedrooms as well as shared common areas and amenities.

We have designed the new wing as a single-storey structural stone pavilion that features a sequence of internal spaces designed to carefully frame views of surrounding nature.

Our building also creates physical relationships to the landscape by incorporating external terraces overlooking the woodland to the west and a lanai enclosed by stone columns, providing a sheltered outdoor connection from the bedrooms to the east.

29/09/2023:

Central Quay Planning Application

Our Queen of Anderston project for our brilliant clients, Summix was submitted for planning approval in September 2023. The project is part of the wider Central Quay Phase 2 development in Glasgow, carried out in collaboration with 3D Reid.

Our plot consists of a 12-storey urban block of 172 flats for private sale, as well as 600m2 commercial space on the ground floor.

The neighbourhood's strong historical link to the pottery industry in the 1800s fascinated us, and our design references this in its external cladding consisting of black and white ceramic panels arranged in a checkerboard pattern to represent the china white and basalt black glazed ceramic objects that were typically made in the area.

Many thanks to our client team, and other project collaborators for all their support so far. It is fantastic to have the project reach this landmark stage, and we are excited to see the scheme progress over the next period.

12/09/2023:

Meeting Alvaro Siza in Porto

At the beginning of September 2023, Graeme travelled to the northern Portuguese city of Porto, where he was honoured to have the opportunity to meet the internationally renowned architect Álvaro Siza.

Graeme said, "It was brilliant to chat with Mr. Siza Vieira about some of his current and upcoming projects, his curiosity about Glasgow as a city, and the work of Mackintosh in particular. 

I'm incredibly grateful for him taking the time to meet me- it was a memorable day, which I will treasure as an experience."

During the trip, Graeme visited several projects designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, including the SAAL-Bouça' social housing (1975), Casa Manuel Magalhães (1967-70), Faculty of Architecture at the University of Porto (1986-93), The Casa de Chá Boa Nova (1958-63), the Leca Swimming Pool complex (1958-65) and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (1991-99). 

14/07/2023:

Glasgow’s 'Young Guns' come of age

It was great to be featured in the Architects’ Journal’s special ‘Glasgow’ issue this week alongside the super-talented cohort of other emerging Glasgow practices who were first interviewed by the publication six years ago.

The article tracks the progress that each firm has made over the period and also covers their ambitions for the future.

It’s brilliant to see how our friends are getting on, and the amazing variety of fantastic projects they are working on.

You can read the article here:

Glasgow’s young guns come of age- Architects’ Journal 13.07.2023

13/07/2023:

Tall Buildings Design Guide- Glasgow Urban Design Panel Special Session

Graeme Nicholls was invited as a panellist at the Glasgow Urban Design Panel's special session on Thursday, 13th July, to review the emerging 'Tall Buildings Design Guide', which is in the first phase of development by Glasgow City Council's

The emerging guidance will identify trends of development and anticipated evolution of the City centre as well as provide clear guidance for the development community on how to deliver high-quality tall buildings in Glasgow.

The session was, fittingly, held on the 20th floor of the Bridleworks Building, with some truly spectacular views over the city skyline.

09/05/2023:

Royal Scottish Academy’s 197th Annual Exhibition

We are delighted to have some of our work selected for the Royal Scottish Academy's 197th Annual Exhibition.

Our Albion project for 160 new affordable homes in the Ibrox area of Glasgow is arranged in a unique bowl form, which is inspired by the site's historic use as a greyhound track.

The project achieved planning approval in February 2023, and we are excited to see it start on site later in the year.

The exhibition runs from 6th May -11th June at The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.

All work in the exhibition can be viewed online:

RSA Annual Exhibition

22/02/2023:

Albion Planning Approval

We are really pleased to announce that our Albion project for our brilliant clients, Merchant Homes, was approved at planning committee on 21st February 2023.

The scheme for 160 flats in the Ibrox area of Glasgow will see the development of two newly built u-shaped blocks over 4 floors.

The design is inspired by the site's historical use as the Albion Greyhound Track, which featured a distinct oval plan, and also references the red tenement blocks and arched openings which are found throughout the Ibrox neighbourhood.

It's brilliant to have the project reach this landmark stage, and we are excited to see the scheme progress over the next period.

Many thanks to our client team, and other project collaborators for all their support so far!

08/02/2023:

Central Quay Public Consultation Event

It was great to have the opportunity to share our emerging design ideas for the significant regeneration project at Central Quay in Glasgow's Anderston neighbourhood with local stakeholders at our second public consultation event on 8th February 2023.

You can read more about our designs for Block C within the overall masterplan on the Central Quay project page.

07/01/2023:

Planning Approval for Pennywell Regeneration Project

Our project for 94 net-zero carbon homes in Pennywell, Edinburgh has been awarded Planning Approval by City of Edinburgh Council.

We worked closely with our client, Urban Union, to design this scheme for private sale houses for the fourth and final phase of their significant regeneration of the Pennywell neighbourhood in north Edinburgh.

The site layout features terraced rows with private front and back gardens arranged around shared central green spaces. The new homes will be constructed with high-quality materials, including red-toned brick and have been designed with robust simple detailing in mind. This provides material and formal consistency with the previous Pennywell redevelopment phases while also referencing the architectural characteristics of housing in the wider area.

Each of the energy-efficient homes has been designed with flexibility in mind, with layouts able to accommodate a variety of lifestyles and include home-working spaces.

Planning approval was granted in December 2022, and we are really excited to see the job start on site in the first half of 2023.

22/12/2022:

Christmas Holidays

Our office will be closed for the holidays from 23rd December 2022 through to 9th January 2023.

Have a Merry Christmas, and best wishes for 2023 to all!

01/11/2022:

Project for Urban Regeneration at Central Quay in Glasgow

Our client Summix Capital has revealed exciting proposals to deliver a mixed-use development on a 4.43-acre brownfield site at Central Quay in the Anderston neighbourhood of Glasgow.

The development will include private for-sale flats and houses; flexible office space; and purpose-built student accommodation, while commercial space will be provided on the ground floor to create active street fronts.

Graeme Nicholls Architects are excited to be working as part of a wider project team to design one of the proposed urban blocks. 

A representative from Summix Capital said:

“These exciting proposals represent a significant investment in Glasgow and will serve to regenerate a current brownfield site, providing much-needed housing and commercial space. The site has lain derelict for a considerable period of time, and its redevelopment will be a welcome addition to the community. As a company, we are committed to pursuing a Net Zero Carbon strategy by 2030, and this development will be in accordance with this.

These proposals are at an early design stage, and over the next few weeks, we look forward to engaging in discussions with the local community about how best to progress this.”

Further information is available at: https://summix-centralquay.com

17/10/2022:

Planning approval for Townend Care Home

We are delighted to have been granted both Planning and Listed Building approval for our Townend Care Home project in Symington.

From application to approval took less than 4 weeks!

Townend House is a mid-19th Century mansion house in Symington, Ayrshire, which currently operates as an adult care home facility accommodating residents with both physical disabilities and mental health issues. Our client’s brief was to extend the existing care home with a new wing to provide six additional resident bedrooms as well as shared common areas and amenities.

We are excited to now progress the project to Building Warrant and detail design stages over the next few months.

23/04/22:

Royal Scottish Academy’s 196th Annual Exhibition

We are delighted to have some of our work selected for the Royal Scottish Academy's 196th Annual Exhibition.

Our featured project, which was a finalist for the 2021 Davidson Prize, and inspired by C.S. Lewis' novel 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' is a reaction to the necessity to work-from-home that many people faced during the ongoing Covid pandemic.

The designs were made in collaboration with Secchi Smith and Lewis McNeill.

The exhibition runs from 23rd April -12th June at The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.

All work in the exhibition can be viewed online:

RSA Annual Exhibition

07/02/22:

Diocesan Centre project completes

We are pleased to announce the completion of our Diocesan Centre project.

The retrofit of a former shop unit in Glasgow’s Italian Centre will provide a modern, accessible base for the Scottish Episcopal Church, with flexible spaces for working and gathering

Graeme Nicholls Architects was appointed to design this new headquarters of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway in 2019, following a competitive interview process. The brief was to create a modern, welcoming, and inclusive base for the church, which would reflect the organisation’s ethos.

The 310m2 space had lain empty for over 10 years having previously been used as an architect’s studio. The unit is part of the Category B-listed Italian Centre, which sits within Glagow’s City Centre Conservation Area.

The project has been published in the Architects Journal and Urban Realm magazines.

22/12/21:

Christmas Holidays

Our office will be closed for the holidays from 23rd December 2021 through to 5th January 2022.

Have a Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2022 to all!

13/12/21:

Ashtree Road Mural

It was great to get the chance to visit Ashtree Road, which we designed for Merchant Homes, to see the fantastic new mural painted by artpistol and commissioned by Home Group.

We really love how the themes of the mural are inspired by the themes we used for our housing project there.

Ali Smith, from ArtPistol Projects, said: “We’re very happy with the wall and how it works in the space. The area has a strong history of weaving, and the piece takes influence from the Flemish weavers who came to the area in the 1800s by combining a contemporary weave pattern with the darkly lit flower paintings done by the Flemish at the time. The flowing weave represents the movement of people and the knitting together of a community while connecting the buildings. I hope people will enjoy it being there.”

01/12/21:

Welcome Andrew

After a couple of recent large project wins, we are delighted to welcome Andrew Parker to the team at Graeme Nicholls Architects .

Andrew is highly experienced in the design and delivery of complex new-build and refurbishment projects at various scales across several sectors including housing, healthcare, commercial, processing, manufacturing and renewables.

He studied architecture at the University of Strathclyde before qualifying as an Architect in 2005. He went on to work with firms in Brisbane, Australia as well as Aberdeen and Glasgow, before joining us here at Graeme Nicholls Architects .

In addition to working in practice, Andrew is currently undertaking an MSc in Sustainability and Environmental Studies, part-time, at the University of Strathclyde. His broad understanding of environmental design allows him to advise clients on how they may deliver more sustainable buildings, including strategies for achieving Zero Carbon emissions.

15/11/21:

What If…?/Scotland Exhibition at V&A Dundee

Graeme really enjoyed visiting Dundee to see the V&A for the first time, and also to view the fantastic 'What If...?/Scotland' exhibition which featured some of our work.

At the start of 2020 and prior to the first nationwide lockdown, Architecture & Design Scotland and 7N paired 25 people from 5 places: Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, Paisley in Renfrewshire, Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, Elgin in Morayshire, and Lerwick in Shetland – with 25 designers, architects, and artists – to share their hopes, dreams or wishes for the future of the place where they live.

We developed our project with Paisley resident Alison Love, who is involved with a local performing arts group and is also a wheelchair user. Our scheme proposes a new bandstand and accessible toilet facility on the western edge of Alison's favourite park- Fountain Gardens.

You can read more about the project here: Fountain Gardens Paisley

20/10/21:

Our new office

We are happy to announce that we've moved to our new office in The Mercantile Building on Bothwell Street.

The Grade A listed building was designed by prominent Glasgow architect James Salmon Jr. It was completed in 1897 and was actually used by his practice as their studio. The facade features sculptures by Derwent Wood and bears the inscription "Trees Grow-Birds Fly-Fish Swim-Bells Ring", a very can-do take on Glasgow's coat of arms!

Our new address is:
Studio 2/5
The Mercantile Building
53 Bothwell Street
Glasgow G2 6TS

17/05/21:

Graeme Nicholls elected as Fellow of the RIAS

We are thrilled to be able to share some good news- Graeme Nicholls been elected as a Fellow of the The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.

Graeme said “It is the highest accolade for a member of our professional body, and it is fantastic to be recognised in this way.

Many thanks to the The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland for bestowing this honour and also to the clients, colleagues, friends, and mentors who have supported me in my career so far.

Particular thanks go to Alan Dunlop for nominating me, and Paul Stallan for seconding the nomination- both have been really generous with their time and advice since I launched my practice Graeme Nicholls Architects four and a half years ago.”

21/11/19:

Double Award Win at AJ Architecture Awards

We are delighted to have won two awards for Ashtree Road at the AJ Architecture Awards.

It was great to win in the 'Best Housing Project (up to £10million)' category where we were shortlisted alongside some exceptionally talented architects. To then also win the 'Editor's Choice' award which selected a favourite project from across all categories was incredible.

Well done to all the other nominees and winners on the night!