Building: Arbroath Abbey Visitor Reception Building

Architect: Simpson & Brown Architects

Stone type: St Bees: reclaimed Carmyllie slabs for internal flooring

Construction type: Cavity wall construction

As one of the most significant buildings in Scotland’s rich history, Arbroath Abbey had long suffered from inadequate visitor facilities and an architectural competition in 1999 set out to find an answer to the many challenges presented by the highly sensitive site. The winning solution for the new visitor reception building eschewed a mock-historical response, and instead offered a design intended to have minimal impact on its environment.

Maximum use is made of natural materials such as stone and timber, and a green planted sedum roof emphasises the building’s horizontality while setting it firmly within its immediate landscape. Additionally, the solid appearance of the new walls avoids any styling that might date the construction, yet the stonework draws on the deep wall details of Scotland’s traditional castle architecture as well as making reference to 20th century European modernism.

Sensibly, the architects recognised the impossibility of precisely matching the stone used on the Abbey itself (originally sourced from the nearby shore area) and have instead chosen St. Bees red sandstone to complement the rich hues of the towering historic structure. The new stone forms the outer leaf of a cavity wall construction, the individual blocks jointed with lime mortar. Internally the same stone is used to face those areas of wall which are visible, with notable details such as the beautifully-cut handrail to the stair emphasising not only that stone can be used as a modern building material but that the knowledge and craftsmanship exists to create elegant and timeless features.