100 Queen Street and KPMG in Glasgow triumph at Scottish Property Awards

100 Queen Street and KPMG in Glasgow triumph at the British Council for Offices’ annual Scottish Property Awards

100 Queen Street and KPMG Glasgow have been recognised as two of the best workplaces in Scotland today at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) regional property sector awards.

The BCO awards programme recognises the highest quality developments in the UK and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector.

100 Queen Street was named as winner of the Best Refurbished and Recycled Workplace category whilst KPMG Glasgow won the Best Fit Out of a Workplace category during a ceremony held earlier today at The Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

The BCO judging panel noted of 100 Queen Street that the developer had embraced the challenges of retaining a substantial listed building in the City Centre, whilst delivering excellent office accommodation with exceptional attention to detail and focus on quality. The judges were particularly impressed by a new two storey extension which has been added on the upper floors and seamlessly integrates with the existing facade.

Of KPMG Glasgow’s fit out at St Vincent Plaza, the judges commented that the key aim for KPMG was to bring the business together and produce a high quality, stimulating and thoughtful environment for staff and clients to enjoy. Delivering consistently high standards across all metrics, this judges said that this outstanding corporate fit-out reflects the values of the occupier and the needs of its staff and client base alike.

Judging Chairman, Stephen Lewis of HFD Property Group, said: “The impressively high calibre - and unprecedented number of entries for this year’s Scottish Awards has made judging an enjoyable, though logistically challenging, task. We received a higher than usual number of entries from across Scotland, not just concentrated in the Central Belt, and the standard was exceptional throughout.

It is clear from the entries that developers and occupiers continue to meet and exceed the BCO’s benchmarks for excellence in the office sector, developing outstanding buildings that boost our economy and bring investment to Scotland.”

Other Glasgow buildings that were shortlisted for Awards included 1 West Regent Street; One Rutherglen Links; 110 Queen Street; 100 West George Street and The Student Loans Company.

Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, said: “The Scottish entrants to this year’s awards have set the bar high for future projects across the country. Both the 100 Queen Street and KMPG projects faced substantial challenges, but overcame these through creative thinking and pioneering design to create superior workplaces. Building on an exceptional year in 2016, this year’s winners are a testament to the importance of quality and innovation in the commercial property sector.”

Other workplaces across Scotland that also received recognition include Ineos Headquarters in Grangemouth which was awarded Best Corporate Workplace and Aberdeen’s The Capitol which won Best Commercial Workplace. In Edinburgh, 5 Advocate’s Close gained the award for Projects up to 1,500m² and Network Rail’s MDU won the BCO Innovation Award.

This is the ninth year that the Regional Awards have been presented locally in Scotland, celebrating excellence in office space regionally, before all winners go on to compete at a national level at the National Awards in October.