A restoration project which transformed abandoned Union Street offices into luxury homes has won a prestigious regeneration award.
City Restoration Project (CRP) has been bringing fresh sparkle to Aberdeen’s famous ‘Granite Mile’ with a series of investments.
The firm’s transformation of the disused floors above 139 Union Street – once home to fondly-remembered city centre shops – has now been recognised by the Aberdeen Society of Architects.
TINTO Architecture, which worked alongside CRP directors Dean and Darren Gowans to deliver the apartments, scooped Best Renovation Project at the Aberdeen Society of Architects Design Awards 2022.
They painstakingly restored original period features, such as ceiling cornicing and herringbone oak flooring, and fused them with luxurious modern touches including marble bathrooms, German-engineered kitchens and Silestone quartz worktops.
The homes all have enhanced acoustic sound insulation throughout to silence the hustle and bustle of the city centre outside - and the building itself has a rare triple-aspect, offering views of Union Street to the front, Back Wynd to the side and The Green and Nu-Art to the rear.
Dean and Darren Gowans said: “We’re delighted TINTO Architects' contribution to the project has been recognised in the distinguished Aberdeen Society of Architects Design Awards.
“Having the support of a great architecture firm is essential for the success of any restoration project and we are happy that TINTO's collaborative efforts have been recognised.”
The project is now sold out and fully occupied, highlighting the strong market for a urban repopulation of the city’s most famous street.
Richard Tinto of TINTO Architecture said: “The award is deserved recognition for team TINTO’s contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the city centre.
“Working with a client who has a shared passion for the future vision of what we can achieve in Aberdeen by way of repurposing our granite buildings, protecting our heritage and making them viable for the future is something we are proud to be doing.
“We are excited by the pipeline of projects we have with City Restoration Project.”
Since completing 139 Union Street, CRP has transformed another property on Crown Street into ‘Crown and Cottage’. Phase one of the project has sold out and phase two, a stunning mews cottage, will be released for sale this spring.
And the Gowans brothers say they are still looking to invest further in the regeneration of Aberdeen City Centre.
“City centre living – giving people entertainment, leisure and work on their doorstep – is a growing trend in most UK cities,” they said.
“The character and charm of city centre buildings is now being enhanced by major investment in projects like the City Centre Masterplan, so Aberdeen has as much to offer in this space as any other city.”
To learn more about Crown and Cottage Phase II, or any of CRP’s other projects, visit www.cityrestorationproject.co.uk