Custodians of the 7no. public golf courses at St. Andrews, including the Old Course, St. Andrews Links Trust, have recently moved into their new headquarters building, Pilmour House. Designed by Nicoll Russell Studios (NRS) and completed in Autumn 2021, the building is now fully occupied and operational. dpa lighting consultants were delighted to be invited by NRS to provide lighting design for the interior, exterior facades, landscape and Gatehouse.

Comprising a main entrance, double height reception, informal waiting, flexible meeting & training rooms, cellular & open plan offices and support facilities, the two-storey HQ building sits adjacent to the existing Eden Clubhouse and both the Strathtyrum and Balgove Courses.

A key design consideration maximised available daylight within the building, to minimise energy utilisation through the use of unnecessary artificial lighting. This, along with the site constraints, informed the building’s form and orientation within the site resulting in a relatively narrow building width, optimising daylight penetration throughout the day. The provision of a lighting control system, linked to a daylight sensor, ensured daylight was optimised throughout the year, with artificial lighting supplementing daylight as necessary.  Artificial lighting automatically provides required illumination when daylight is insufficient, with manual scene over-ride capability to suit out of hours/late evening, localised operation.

The high percentage of glazing also allows considerable views into the building for both visitors and staff as well as the golfers visiting the courses and clubhouse.  This ‘transparency’ reveals the interior layout, its surfaces and finishes.  These surfaces are specifically illuminated to support the natural lighting provision, as well as providing a night-time expression that establishes the building within its setting.  This is augmented with a minimum of exterior lighting applied to the building and integrated into the landscape to ensure safe circulation.

Both NRS architects and dpa spent a significant amount of time integrating the artificial lighting into the fabric of the building both internally and externally with the detailing and luminaire selection minimising their visibility and visual intrusion, enhancing the overall operation and experience of the various spaces for the occupants and visitors.

We are delighted to add that Pilmour House, St Andrews Links Trust Headquarters was recently announced as a winner at the Scottish Design Awards 2022.

Client: St Andrews Links Trust
Architect: Nicoll Russell Studios, Broughty Ferry, Dundee
Interior Designer: Nicoll Russell Studios, Broughty Ferry, Dundee
MEP Services Consultant: Elders Consulting Engineers llp
Structural & Civil Engineer: Millard Consulting
Landscape Consultant: Harrison Stevens
Quantity Surveyor: Hardies Property & Construction Consultants
Clerk of works: Sentinel Clerk of Works Limited
Photography: Keith Hunter Photography