Detailed plans drawn up for Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre
August 28 2015
Prepared by Keppie Design the plans will be complemented by a 200 bed four star hotel and 1,300 space underground car park situated below a new civic square and main entrance.
Clad in glass curtain walling, white pressed metal ‘ribbons’ and profiled aluminium sheeting the complex will house a multi-purpose arena and a ground floor concourse populated by bars and cafes.
In their design statement the architects observed: “The footprint is translated into three dimensions as a series of angular forms which amalgamate the disparate internal volumes into a singular form which rises and falls in the East-West direction.
“Continuity of form is reinforced with the application of ribbon profiles which contrast in colour with the wall cladding. These stretch the length of the facades to delineate the building profile, constrain the wall planes and allude to how the roof planes fold over the gable walls.”
Councillors will consider the scheme on 29 October with work commencing early next year if approved.
A first floor conference suite projects outward to shelter the concourse area
The AECC has been conceived as 'ripples in the landscape'
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10 Comments
#1 Posted by Wee Senga on 28 Aug 2015 at 10:40 AM
Pretty cool - Keppie really have been pulling some nice designs out the bag recently
#2 Posted by None on 28 Aug 2015 at 10:51 AM
Aberdeen going Zaha-Hadid-esque design..not so sure.
#3 Posted by jsmith on 28 Aug 2015 at 11:45 AM
Sasanbell
#4 Posted by Bob, Ag & Willie on 28 Aug 2015 at 13:44 PM
Looks great. Are we quite sure this is Aberdeen?
#5 Posted by Frank Lloyd Wrong on 28 Aug 2015 at 13:47 PM
Keppie / Sassanbel have done a pretty good job of making this an exciting dynamic proposal.
However, I can't help thinking HFM could have got involved in the process to sex it up a bit more, like they've done with all those office boxes doon the toon centre.
However, I can't help thinking HFM could have got involved in the process to sex it up a bit more, like they've done with all those office boxes doon the toon centre.
#6 Posted by Waiting on getting my salary from HBOS on 28 Aug 2015 at 22:52 PM
The initial design meeting - 'I can't be arsed trying to do something contextual/original/interesting - I know lets rip off a school Zaha did, no one will know. It's only Aberdeen so no one really cares about architecture anyway with all the crap HFM are producing up there'. #1 #4 #5 still first year students are we!!
#7 Posted by Jonathan on 29 Aug 2015 at 15:03 PM
This is horrible! Not relation to context. No relation to a history of architecture. Just shape making. Looks cheap even before it's built, especially the shopping mall aesthetic of the interior image and the parallelogram windows. Poor renders as well. Can't see any redeeming features.
#8 Posted by RMD on 30 Aug 2015 at 01:25 AM
Sasanbell were the concept architect who won the original competition through the competitive dialogue on behalf of the developer. They were then appointed only to produce the Masterplan for the new site and the concept design for the New AECC. This was completed by December 2014 and they have had no further involvement in the project ever since.
The new design that is now developed and taken forward can only and fairly be credited to Keppie Design.
The new design that is now developed and taken forward can only and fairly be credited to Keppie Design.
#9 Posted by qmd on 1 Sep 2015 at 09:06 AM
that green roof... is just for aesthetic purpose?
#10 Posted by jsmith on 1 Sep 2015 at 10:57 AM
RMD, surely you can't remove credit for the concept designers entirely, as you suggest? Their scheme looks substantially the same as the one proposed (for a stage 1 development at least). Not knocking Keppies here in any way, but are you suggesting that Sasanbell have no input to what we are seeing here at all?
No affiliation with either practice, but we have all been there - developing a concept design at feasibility stage and then another practice taking it on to completion as their own, which is fair enough, albeit sorrowful, but I feel that credit to both should be applied.
No affiliation with either practice, but we have all been there - developing a concept design at feasibility stage and then another practice taking it on to completion as their own, which is fair enough, albeit sorrowful, but I feel that credit to both should be applied.
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