Regeneration creates leading research facility

The Department of Architecture's innovative conceptual design skills were at the heart of the project to create the new state-of-the-art Scottish Crime Campus.

The project

The Scottish Crime Campus is a new Scottish Government initiative aimed at enhancing collaboration between serious crime and counter-terrorism agencies. An £82 million building in Gartcosh, Glasgow – the facility provides high-quality office accommodation, forensic laboratories and analytical facilities.

Professor Gordon Murray of the Department of Architecture was the Client Design Champion for the project and presented an exhibition on the concept and design to HRH the Princess Royal at its official opening.

Led by Professor Murray, the project features in the Scottish Government Architecture Policy document as an exemplar project in relation to architecture, urban design and place making.

Unique in Europe, the buildings are attracting a great deal of interest from across the world due to the collaborative design. The campus brings together:

  • the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency
  • Serious Organised Crime Agency
  • HMRC
  • Scottish Police Services Authority Forensic Services
  • Crown Office
  • Procurator Fiscal Service
  • National Crime Agency

Each organisation is part of the single campus, supporting the work of Police Scotland.

Recognition

National accolades for the design have been received - with the project winning the Corporate HQ Award for Office Design from the British Council of Offices. It has recently received an Award from the Glasgow Institute of Architects as well as being shortlisted for an Royal Institute of British Architects award. It has also been nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Prize - a major European award.

Professor Murray is part of a research group along with Professor James Fraser in Forensics, coordinating research on the building, in association with the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, to examine how the building is performing to meet the needs of the brief.