Perth City Hall building renovation by Mecanoo architects, Perthshire cultural facility refurbishment images

Perth City Hall Renovation by Mecanoo

Stone of Destiny centrepiece in renewal of B-listed civic building in Perthshire, Scotland: Dutch architects news

29 + 28 March 2024

Perth Museum opens its doors this weekend with the Stone of Destiny as its centrepiece, following a £27m redevelopment of the former city hall, reports BBC Scotland today. The building renewal was designed by the famous Dutch architect studio Mecanoo architecten.

The ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy, was seized by King Edward I of England in the late 13th Century and remained in England for 700 years.

It was returned to Scotland in 1996.

While the star attraction has garnered the most attention, the museum aims to put Perth and Kinross “at the centre of Scotland’s story”.

Previously on e-architect:

27 Aug 2017

Perth City Hall Competition Winner

Perth & Kinross appoint Mecanoo for Perth City Hall renovation

Perth & Kinross Council have selected Mecanoo architecten for the renovation of Perth City Hall. The category B-listed building will be transformed into a cultural facility with exhibition spaces, learning suite, café and retail space.

Mecanoo envisions the project as means to create a new gateway to Perth; to its history and its pride. The scheme proposal seeks to re-activate Perth City Hall by a number of ‘light touch’ interventions that embrace the building’s beauty and character, whilst improving accessibility and reinforcing existing connections.

By increasing transparency on all elevations and providing levelled access, people are encouraged to come inside. The public ‘internal vennel’ allows the public to walk through the building with the possibility entering the exhibition spaces and café. Inside the characteristic main hall, an inserted volume offers optimal flexibility to exhibit Perth & Kinross Council’s permanent and temporary collections. The renewed public realm between the city hall and St John’s Kirk will feature a comfortable seating area. A new lighting scheme threads the design for the building and public realm together.

Francine Houben, Founding Architect and Creative Director of Mecanoo: “We’re delighted to have been appointed for this prestigious project. We look forward to working together with the local community and Perth and Kinross Council to create an exciting new cultural destination for Perth.”

Councillor Ian Campbell, Leader of the Council said: “Mecanoo stood out as having responded sensitively to the brief, conserving much of the historic building with an innovative and flexible design that will stand the test of time. The panel felt that Mecanoo paid particular attention to the needs of a wide range of visitors and the transformation of the area surrounding City Hall into a vibrant, inclusive civic space of which we can be truly proud.”

A spokesperson for Culture Perth and Kinross added: “Culture Perth & Kinross are delighted that the next phase of this transformational project is now underway and look forward to working with Mecanoo and Perth & Kinross Council to deliver an exciting and imaginative new venue for Perth which will make our collections and rich local heritage more accessible.”

Mecanoo has extensive experience with listed buildings, transforming them into inviting public spaces whilst retaining their original character, examples include Mies van der Rohe’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC, Het Hof van Nederland heritage museum in Dordrecht, and New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Previously on e-architect:

13 Aug 2017

Perth City Hall Design Competition Winner

Perth City Hall Competition Winning Design by Mecanoo

Mecanoo Architects from The Netherlands emerged as Perth & Kinross Council’s preferred partner to bring forward a transformation of the historic Perth City Hall following an international design competition after winning the most support during a public engagement exercise.

Perth City Hall Building Redevelopment

The Mecanoo team includes BB Heritage Studio, Arup, Aecom, BDP, Cushman & Wakefield and GWP.

15 Jun 2017

Perth City Hall Shortlisted Designs

Perth City Hall Shortlist Design News

Perth & Kinross Council are exhibiting five shortlisted designs for the redevelopment of Perth City Hall, enabling the public to have their say on initial concept designs.

– Austin Smith Lord with MVRDV

– Hoskins Architects

– LDN

– Mecanoo

– Richard Murphy Architects

18 Apr 2017
Perth City Hall Renovation Architects Shortlist

Background on this building, the subject of a drawn-out controversial debate:

Perth City Hall Building

Town Hall Building Designs

Location: Perth City Hall, Scotland

Perth Buildings

Academy of Sport and Wellbeing, Perth College UHI Building
Architects: Keppie Design

image from architect
Academy of Sport and Wellbeing, Perth College UHI Building