Posted on 1 Oct 2007

An office building in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, has won an award from the UK’s leading office industry organisation, the British Council for Offices (BCO).

The building won the Small Projects: Scotland award at the annual BCO awards ceremony held this week (2nd October 2007) in London which was attended by 1,600 property professionals.

The building at Pennyburn Road, Kilwinning was developed by North Ayrshire Ventures Ltd (NAV Ltd), the joint venture company set up by North Ayrshire Council and The EDI Group Limited and designed by Glasgow based architects, Austin-Smith:Lord.

In giving this building regional honours the judges commented:

“The quality of this small office building deserves recognition because it has helped make a major contribution to the regeneration of North Ayrshire by attracting more than a 100 jobs via the relocation of the Scottish Government’s Accountant in Bankruptcy (AIB) from Edinburgh.

The judges continued: “It is simple and elegant, establishing a new standard for this peripheral location.”

The judges praised the efficient and stylish pavilion produced using a simple palette of sustainable local materials at a very low cost.

Speaking on behalf of North Ayrshire Ventures, David O’Neill said: “Winning this award is a great achievement and the second award that this particular building has won. It’s good news for Ayrshire - and Kilwinning in particular because it demonstrates that the building and its location have proved to be a winning combination.”

The British Council for Offices Awards, now in their sixteenth year, are presented to projects in six categories: Corporate Workplace, Commercial Workplace, Refurbished/Recycled Workplace, Fit-out of Workplace, Innovation and Small Projects, a new category for this year’s awards.

ENDS

For further information or photos please contact Giselle Dye at Pagoda Public Relations on 0131 556 0770 or mobile 07739 085023, e: giselle.dye@pagodapr.com

Note to Editors

1. North Ayrshire Ventures Limited is a joint venture company between The EDI Group and North Ayrshire Council, formed to undertake development projects that focus on both social inclusion and the creation of new jobs in Ayrshire.
2. The EDI Group carries out a range of property development from office and retail through factories to housing for the homeless. It combines a commercial approach with a commitment to bringing architectural, environmental and social benefits to and through its projects. EDI’s wide ranging project portfolio includes office developments, retail properties within Edinburgh’s Old Town, Edinburgh Park, the long-term regeneration of Craigmillar, Princes Street Galleries and residential schemes throughout Edinburgh. It operates mainly in the Edinburgh City region, but it has also a presence in Glasgow and North Ayrshire.
3. The British Council for Offices (BCO), established in 1990, is Britain's leading forum for the discussion and debate of issues affecting the office sector. Its members are all organisations involved in creating, acquiring or occupying office space, including property companies, architects, lawyers, surveyors, investing institutions and public agencies. The BCO works to advance the collective understanding of its members, enabling them to work together to create more effective office space.
4. Austin-Smith:Lord is a leading UK multi-disciplinary architectural practice. Employing over 125 people in five different offices throughout the UK, it has a diverse portfolio that includes many award winning projects across a wide range of sectors throughout the UK and the World.