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‘Castle-like’ ferry terminal shows Brodick is going places

‘Castle-like’ ferry terminal shows Brodick is going places

October 31 2017

Norr are poised for the formal handover of a new ferry terminal at Brodick next month to serve as a new ‘civic gateway’ to the island of Arran on behalf of Caledonian Marine Assets.

Part of a wider overhaul of the harbour the contemporary addition seeks to foster a sense of arrival and departure with a blend of ‘castle-like solidity’ and transparency, helping to mask the presence of an industrial estate.

In their project description Norr wrote:” In architectural terms, the building is essentially a linear reflection of a linear process, enhanced by the use of levels and enriched by its prominent setting parallel to the sea. From an arriving ferry, the use of roof-lights, the variety of window sizes, the occasional use of deep reveals and the gently curving lines of the building’s form all help to break down its overall scale.

“That, combined with the use of traditional hues and colours such as white walls, grey metal roof elements, and a red sandstone rain-screen, assists in anchoring what is a very large contemporary building into its more vernacular context. Most prominent public buildings on Arran, including the castle and many of its churches are constructed in red sandstone, and so is the new terminal.”

Designed to facilitate the smooth and efficient passage of pedestrians and vehicles the terminal is dominated by a central departure lounge offering panoramic views from generous north-facing windows.

The project team included CH2M, max Fordham, Doig + Smith and George Leslie.

A double-height departure hall dominates the interior

All photography by Keith Hunter

Red sandstone has been used in a nod to historic Arran architecture

The ground floor includes a reception and drop-off areas with a glazed passenger access system on the first floor

Views across to Arran are maximised through the use of selected glazing

9 Comments

#1 Posted by Bruno Zevi on 31 Oct 2017 at 12:27 PM

Congratulations. A modern building.
What a breath of fresh air.

#2 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 31 Oct 2017 at 12:39 PM

It looks solid. Nice.

#3 Posted by boaby wan on 31 Oct 2017 at 13:00 PM

have they seen a castle before?
Actually looks like a interesting building diagram, will be interesting to see how robust the detailing is in that location.

#4 Posted by modernish on 31 Oct 2017 at 17:04 PM

Excellent. Clear diagram transformed into a solid, elegant building.

#5 Posted by MV on 31 Oct 2017 at 18:03 PM

Why do commuter hubs like this (also refer airports, bus stations etc) have to be so cold and uninviting inside? Get a bit of interior architecture or design into these spaces, because people spend more time hanging around in them, than they do on the actual transport. Maybe it’s a psychological trick to lower the expectation of the journey itself...? Brief accomplished!