Granite

Tender description

The supply of natural stone products for the Schoolhill Streetscape project. The Schoolhill Streetscape project is to take place in Aberdeen on the westmost area of Schoolhill between its junction with Blackfriars Street and the access to Robert Gordon’s College quadrangle. The site is within the Union Street Conservation Area and surrounded by buildings listed by Historic Environment Scotland for their social history and architectural quality. The Aberdeen Art Gallery bounds the project area to the north and is currently undergoing an extensive extension and refurbishment programme, which when complete will encourage wider public usage of the areas as residents and visitors are attracted to a world class arts destination and one of the most important amenities in the city. Through a reduction in carriageway width, the removal of the current step and ramp arrangement and the creation of a new plaza area, graded over the width of the extended footway, the project will provide an improved public space allowing for the flexible use of the space without impediment. Due to the conservation status of the adjoining Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Aberdeen War Memorial the selection of materials for the streetscape project has been progressed with regard to the historical nature of the site, the materials utilised in the original construction and the likely requirements of the planning authority. This has resulted in a requirement to utilize natural stone products which are from the same source as the original building materials and others which are sympathetic to the built heritage. As such, these materials will not be permitted to be substituted with alternatives from other sources in any future procurement. The project includes extended footways and a new plaza area providing access to doors serving the main entrance and café area of the Art Gallery and access to the Cowdray Hall. The proposals will significantly enhance the setting and pedestrian usability of this part of Schoolhill. The proposals require: — new Aberdeenshire Corrennie pink granite steps, — new Aberdeenshire Blackhills grey granite slabs and setts, — new Scottish whinstone slabs, — new Spanish Mondariz granite slabs, — and reworking of client supplied Kemnay grey granite masonry to form plain slabs and setts.