North Pier Harbour Building

With an original brief which set out to provide a landmark development on a key strategic location within the town, the North Pier Harbour Building provides a new gateway building for Oban, creating a focal point on the approach to the town centre and from the harbour side.  As part of Argyll & Bute Council’s wider public realm regeneration, the space offers a community building which provides office accommodation for the local Harbour Master alongside commercial, community and important services for visitors entering Oban by sea including changing and sanitary facilities. 

The design responds to the immediate context of Oban’s north pier, its harbour, marina and esplanade and the sweeping town centre waterfront. Visible both from land and water, the project provides an exciting new focal point, designed as the starting point of a public realm route that stretches from North Pier to the Calmac terminal on the opposite side of the bay.

Originally a brownfield site, the project saw the demolition of an existing structure and construction of the new building within a working pier environment, successfully regenerating a previously derelict council-owned site. Site restrictions determined the building’s potential footprint whilst the party wall to the existing listed hotel building determined the height. 

The design delivers a visible statement of the old versus the new, fronting a dramatic backdrop of the town’s notable Columba Hotel. With the Harbour Master quarters at the helm, the elevation offers a controlling view of the harbour and across the bay beyond. This placement opens the opportunity for an overhang, providing welcome shelter from the often harsh climate, to maritime visitors arriving by boat, ferry, yacht or kayak. Tourist information and support facilities for the adjacent pontoon berthing extension were provided internally.

A retail space is accessed from the front of the building, with the main entrance to its right, opening into a dramatic glazed entrance lobby with staircase leading to the Harbour Master offices above and additional retail space. The natural light streaming in through the glazed ceiling provides a sense of welcome arrival and warmth for maritime visitors. 

Detailing with the adjoining hotel was carefully managed, with consideration given to creating a non-combustible, ventilated interface between the two buildings. An external cladding of Scottish Larch provides robust protection against the harsh coastal environment, greying overtime, with the addition of a plinth which duals as protective edging and a clean aesthetic finish to the exterior.

The project has had a positive impact on the town’s tourism economy, outperforming original forecasts and providing a focal and arrival point for marine based visitors, helping to stimulate and support growth in the local market.