MARISCHAL COLLEGE (Aberdeen) REFURBISHMENT

 The Facade at the Marischal College was opened in 1906 and served the city well as a magnificent building, considered the largest granite building in the World. When the building was abandoned by the
college it became rather neglected  and run down, not only looking grubby but having lost a number of it's pinnacles. It was taken over buy the Aberdeen Council for  their new headquarters and was
completely gutted   out and the interior rebuilt for modern office use. The Facade was also completely refurbished with it's lost and damaged pinnacles repaired or replaced. Today it has regained it's
original glory making it possible one of the finest Council headquarters' building in the World.  A finishing  touch  was made when a new statue of Robert The Bruce was erected outside, showing
the Bruce displaying the proclamation Of Aberdeen.

11th September 2009

Work was well in hand with the interior cleared all around, making the Collage merely a shell and near ready for the rebuild & refurbishing work to begin.

Broad Street with Little John Street to the left.

 
The west wing and tower.

 
The main entrance is to be filled in with glass surround and doorway.

Full view from eastern end of Broad Street with Queens Street to the right.

Northern end of the building from Queens Street.

Wide angle view from below the council buildings steps onto Broad Street. 

Ditto. With St. Andrews Church to the right. As the church, now closed, doesn't belong to the council it is not to be refurbished along with this work.

=====================================

(April 2011)

The refurbishment of the Ex Marischall College facade and building nears completion and planned to reopen as the new Aberdeen Council Headquarters this Summer. 

From Little John Street. Old and new contrasting with each other.

Ditto

From the Gallowgate. The present 1960's Council Headquarters in the background.

This shows the extent of the complete refurbishment and the additional new teirs of offices etc that has been carried out

Likewise.

 
The west wing frontage seen from the Upperkirkgate

   
The entrance with the refurbished Sheilds.

The facade looks grand from the massive clean-up and replacement of the missing pinnacles. It's a pity about the neglect of  St. Andrews
Kirk in the grand scheme. Hopefully it will get attention before long! The contrast between old and new is quite striking.

View from Broad Street with the contrasting Kirk building and with Lodge Walk Police Station in Queen Street on the far right

It is nice to see the second largest granite building in the World looking spick & span once again. The new statue of Robert The Bruce
has since been put in place and adds to the new look. In spite of the grumbles about costs etc this refurbishment makes for a very
grand new Aberdeen Council Headquarters.

Completed Refurbishment (September 21st. 2012)

The contrast between the refurbished towers and buildings and the uncleaned clock tower.

 
Left:  in 2004 prior to refurbishment.                                                                                                                              Right: Today.

 
Left. 2004 prior to refurbishment.                                                                                                                      Right: Today.

     
The eastern tower appears to be the only one that actually contains a bell.

The eastern bell tower, showing the nice finish and new windows.

The eastern bell tower in contrast wiht the bell tower.

   
The arch entrance as seen from the interior looking to Broad Street.                                            Right: American connection. 

 
The west tower, looking spick and span.                                                     The decorative windowsof the clock tower.

COMPLETED WORK and the new ROBERT THE BRUCE STATUE 2011

West corner from Upperkirkgate

The public using the new glass doorway.

The renewed and repaired pinnacles (26th Oct. 2011)

The statue was officially unvieled on the  9th May 2011

  
Bruce, holding up the Declaration to Aberdeen. The fine detail on the statue is very impressive.

A scene that will change quite drastically once old council building has gone. 21st. Sept. 2012.

Scottish ITV Video Report

Three other views of the 1960's Council Building that will change in the near future.

The 1960's Council building is now deserted and awaits demolition. 21st. Sept 2012.

From Flourmill Brae. 28th. Sept 2012. To the right with the scaffolding up is the Ex Esselment & Mathews building, which is also going through
a refurbishment and change of business use. It will be nice, in my opinion, when the Ross House is once again the tallest building at this spot.

Council huse, as it was then, from the west side of Ross House. 21st Oct 2009

Photographs are the copyright of Bill Reid.

=============================================================

Back To Home Page