Edinburgh University KB Campus: Former BGS Murchison Building
Originally the Institute for Geological Survey, now the University of Edinburgh. Refurbished and occupied by the University in 2018. Home to Edinburgh Innovations, Research Support Office, Information Services Group and the Science and Engineering College Office.
Murchison House 1971-77 by public sector architects Michael John Mannings and Allan Pendreigh (originally for H M Office of Works known later as the Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency).
The completed building featured in The Architects Journal illustrated by 14 images including a plan (Apr 27, 1977, pp 762-764). According to this source, ‘the geometry of the design livens up the elevations’ and has ‘functional justification’ as the building featured brick silos to house rock and fossil samples. Apparently it was a planning requirement that street-level access minimise intrusion and this required a two-metre excavation. The plan was symmetrically arranged with balancing wings enclosing a courtyard. This cruciform or extended H plan can be seen clearly in an aerial shot taken in 2009 (north west corner of the King’s Buildings): canmore.org.uk/collection/1148722
Murchison House is named after Sir Roderick Murchison (1792-1871) who was appointed director general of the Geological Survey of Great Britain in 1855. He endowed a chair of geology and mineralogy at the University of Edinburgh. canmore.org.uk/site/181043/edinburgh-west-mains-road-king...
According to Birse’s history of Science at the University of Edinburgh (1994) the turf was cut for Murchison House in 1971 on a site at the King’s Buildings leased from the University of Edinburgh and the ceremony marked the centenary of the Department of Geology at Edinburgh. The first professor of Geology, Archibald Geikie, was also director general of the Geological Survey – a link severed when his brother James Geikie became the second professor of geology in 1882.
Murchison House was the home of the Institute for Geological Survey and headquarters of the British Geological Society (BGS) for over 40 years. During this time it was home to the BGS Global Seismology Unit, which studied earthquake activity, and the UK National Centre for monitoring compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
In February 2016 the BGS relocated to The Lyell Centre, a purpose built site on the Heriot-Watt University campus at Riccarton. www.bgs.ac.uk/contacts/sites/edinburgh/home.html
The University of Edinburgh, from whom the site was leased, put out to public tender the appointment of a Design Team for an office fit out at Murchison House in January 2016. Reiach & Hall Architects are taking the lead on refurbishment "by rejigging floorplace to provide improved office and teaching accommodation" (2017). www.urbanrealm.com/news/6575/University_of_Edinburgh_to_r...
Kier Construction Scotland has been awarded a £7.7 million contract to carry out the transformation. Work began in mid-December 2017 and is to be complete for September 2018. The fit-out and refurbishment will create an open-plan teaching hub with study spaces, lecture theatres, exhibition spaces, Edinburgh Innovations spaces and a range of offices. www.scottishconstructionnow.com/23402/kier-wins-7-7m-cont...
The building has an internal area of 10150 m2.
www.ed.ac.uk/estates/buildings-information/building-profi...
Interior images:
canmore.org.uk/site/181043/edinburgh-west-mains-road-king...
Refurbished interior: www.reiachandhall.co.uk/education-research/murchison-hous...
Edinburgh University KB Campus: Former BGS Murchison Building
Originally the Institute for Geological Survey, now the University of Edinburgh. Refurbished and occupied by the University in 2018. Home to Edinburgh Innovations, Research Support Office, Information Services Group and the Science and Engineering College Office.
Murchison House 1971-77 by public sector architects Michael John Mannings and Allan Pendreigh (originally for H M Office of Works known later as the Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency).
The completed building featured in The Architects Journal illustrated by 14 images including a plan (Apr 27, 1977, pp 762-764). According to this source, ‘the geometry of the design livens up the elevations’ and has ‘functional justification’ as the building featured brick silos to house rock and fossil samples. Apparently it was a planning requirement that street-level access minimise intrusion and this required a two-metre excavation. The plan was symmetrically arranged with balancing wings enclosing a courtyard. This cruciform or extended H plan can be seen clearly in an aerial shot taken in 2009 (north west corner of the King’s Buildings): canmore.org.uk/collection/1148722
Murchison House is named after Sir Roderick Murchison (1792-1871) who was appointed director general of the Geological Survey of Great Britain in 1855. He endowed a chair of geology and mineralogy at the University of Edinburgh. canmore.org.uk/site/181043/edinburgh-west-mains-road-king...
According to Birse’s history of Science at the University of Edinburgh (1994) the turf was cut for Murchison House in 1971 on a site at the King’s Buildings leased from the University of Edinburgh and the ceremony marked the centenary of the Department of Geology at Edinburgh. The first professor of Geology, Archibald Geikie, was also director general of the Geological Survey – a link severed when his brother James Geikie became the second professor of geology in 1882.
Murchison House was the home of the Institute for Geological Survey and headquarters of the British Geological Society (BGS) for over 40 years. During this time it was home to the BGS Global Seismology Unit, which studied earthquake activity, and the UK National Centre for monitoring compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
In February 2016 the BGS relocated to The Lyell Centre, a purpose built site on the Heriot-Watt University campus at Riccarton. www.bgs.ac.uk/contacts/sites/edinburgh/home.html
The University of Edinburgh, from whom the site was leased, put out to public tender the appointment of a Design Team for an office fit out at Murchison House in January 2016. Reiach & Hall Architects are taking the lead on refurbishment "by rejigging floorplace to provide improved office and teaching accommodation" (2017). www.urbanrealm.com/news/6575/University_of_Edinburgh_to_r...
Kier Construction Scotland has been awarded a £7.7 million contract to carry out the transformation. Work began in mid-December 2017 and is to be complete for September 2018. The fit-out and refurbishment will create an open-plan teaching hub with study spaces, lecture theatres, exhibition spaces, Edinburgh Innovations spaces and a range of offices. www.scottishconstructionnow.com/23402/kier-wins-7-7m-cont...
The building has an internal area of 10150 m2.
www.ed.ac.uk/estates/buildings-information/building-profi...
Interior images:
canmore.org.uk/site/181043/edinburgh-west-mains-road-king...
Refurbished interior: www.reiachandhall.co.uk/education-research/murchison-hous...