CALEDONIAN PRODUCE STAFF CENTRE

Location: Bo’ness

Client: Geest

Programme: Completed 2003

The building provides cafés, offices and staff changing rooms for a food processing factory. It has a strong visual image to enhance the organisation’s identity, making use of silver cladding panels which are contrasted with boldly coloured panels in selected key areas.

The large areas of glazing to the café and use of colour provide a refreshing environment. The glazing and an external balcony make the most of views to the Forth road and rail bridges. An external staircase leads from the balcony to a landscaped seating area at ground level.

The orientation allows for early morning solar pre-heat, which helps to reduce energy and running costs, while the overhanging roof and vertical solar shading screens protect against excessive solar gains later in the day. Lighting is concealed above floating linear ceiling panels, these not only provide dramatic lighting but have been found to be beneficial to the health of staff members on night shifts.

The building was designed to meet a fast-track programme with components specifically selected to a minimise the use of wet trades. All finishes and mechanical ventilation were in accordance with rigorous food industry hygiene standards. The building has provided attractive modern facilities far above the industry norm. The building won a Dynamic Places Award in 2004.