Taylor and Fraser is proud to have worked on a number of prestigious buildings and historic landmarks over our 100+ years of business. At the start of this month, we were delighted that the redeveloped Physicians International Conference Centre at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal.

As the principal contractor for this project, we worked on this building from October 2017 to October 2018. Our work on the project delivered:

• A fully accessible entrance through No. 11 Queen Street via a platform lift.

• A modern reception area linking to multiple levels in the College via a bespoke lift.

• A dedicated public exhibition space to showcase historic medical and other collections with improved access for the public.

• Specialist acoustic feature ceiling and environmental improvements to enhance the comfort of delegates within the conference centre auditorium.

• An enhanced conference centre foyer and facilities to deliver world-class conferences in Edinburgh.

The £3.5 million project transforms the event experience for delegates and visitors of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, turning it into one of the Capital City’s newest and largest conference venues, with a 300 seat capacity. A new public exhibition space was also created to showcase the College’s historic collections. The redevelopment work has improved access to the buildings and enhanced the facilities for all who will use the space.

Regarding the official opening, College President Professor Derek Bell OBE said;

“It is an honour to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to our wonderful, refurbished conference centre.  We are particularly proud of our new facility – refurbishing any building is a complex task, but more so when the buildings in question are nearly 300 years old. As an Honorary Fellow of the College, it is very fitting that Her Royal Highness should open what is a new chapter in the long and illustrious history of this great Edinburgh institution.”

We have extensive experience in working in challenging city centre buildings. On these projects, it is vital that we not only take into consideration the logistical implications and infrastructure, but most importantly the safety of the public who may come in close proximity to the site. The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh works required significant planning to ensure safety was paramount. As with all of our projects, a flexible approach was taken throughout the duration, which allowed other activity within The College to continue as normal. The College were able to pursue other events throughout the rest of the building during the construction works. We worked closely with key personnel to ensure noisy and disruptive works were carried out during specific times so as to avoid disruption to exams, symposiums, meetings and other essential activity.

We are pleased that the project was delivered timely and successfully, and we look forward to seeing the newly redeveloped college used to its full potential.

(Photo credit to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.)