We hear that the £6.5m construction project of one of the Merchant City’s most magnificent buildings , The Briggait, is now complete and will be open to the public in the Spring.
Steeped in history, the building houses Scotland’s oldest collection of market halls and is Grade A listed. It was built in 1873 and lay empty for the best part of 20 years until 2001 when Wasps Artists’ Studios set out on the long road to redevelop the building and return it to its original grandeur.
The newly created space, the brainchild of Dundee-based architects Nichol Russell Studios, has retained many of the original features such as brickwork and iron work and has been brought right up to date with a contemporary look to its offices and workspaces. Measuring 5,500 square metres, the Briggait will be home to affordable workspaces for the cultural community made up of: 45 studios for artists; 24 offices for cultural organisations; shop fronts for creative industry companies; a public cafe; meeting spaces and a courtyard which will be open to the public, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the stunning surroundings.
A number of the spaces have already been let to arts organisations including Mischief La Bas, Conflux and artists including painter Simon Laurie and video artist Duncan Campbell, whose solo show has just opened at Tramway.
Commenting on the new-look building, Alison Fullerton, Fundraising and Communications Manager, Wasps, said:
“The redevelopment of the Briggait has been a real labour of love for us and we’re very excited to now be in the building. It’s a gorgeous mix of contemporary and Victorian architecture and an inspiring place for people to both work in and visit. We’re sure it’ll be a fantastic addition to the Merchant City.”
The Briggait will formally open in May but for a sneak preview, Alison is organising guided tours on 15th February for those of you who live and work in Merchant City. Contact alisonfullerton@waspsstudios.org.uk for information.
