Why BDP is opening in Edinburgh

5 Jun 2008

Global Graham McClements is director of BDP's new Edinburgh office which was set up in spring 2008

Many people’s reaction to the news that BDP is opening a new Edinburgh office is not “why?” but “why haven’t you before now?” This reaction is hardly surprising given that the practice has a long association with the city through a lineage of major projects including the Scottish Widows HQ, buildings at Edinburgh Park, Napier University Business School, and most recently, the new City of Edinburgh Council HQ. We see our new Edinburgh office as cementing this longstanding relationship with the city, and the logical next step in developing our business in Scotland.

Edinburgh, in many ways, is a perfect fit with the development plan for BDP: it is a business capital; an international city with a global brand and reach; a centre of excellence in education and research; and a pre-eminent cultural and artistic centre with world class institutions. It is a magnet for visitors and has enormous potential to develop even further as a retail and leisure destination. It offers a world-renowned quality of urban environment and is leading the way in sustainable development rather than following the pack. Edinburgh is a design capital, with an established design community, and a pool of creative talent fed by highly regarded schools of architecture, design and engineering. These characteristics fit well with our aspirations to grow our practice, building on our expertise which spans many sectors and specialisms. Going back to the “why now?” question, we are investing in Edinburgh now because we have a strong belief that the city and its surrounding region has all the right ingredients, and the potential, to take its development to a new level as a world city. We want to be an integral part of this future growth.