Union Terrace Gardens

Historical significance

The refurbishment of Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen, Scotland, represents a significant restoration and enhancement of a historical public park.

The project began with a proposed masterplan by LDA Design (Glasgow) in 2016. The primary goal was to refurbish the Union Terrace Gardens while protecting its historical elements. The restoration project involved close collaboration with Historic Environment Scotland to ensure the protection and preservation of historical elements, including statues of Robert Burns and Edward VII.

The project included the refurbishment of Victorian toilets and the Arcade Arches, preserving their historical character. This restoration work aimed to maintain the park’s heritage. One of the notable improvements was enhanced ramped access to make the gardens more inclusive and accessible to all visitors.

There were many factors considered with regard to the selection of materials for Union Terrace Gardens, including current and future stone availability, sustainability & durability, budgetary constraints and of course aesthetic qualities of the stone.

Given the Gardens location and prominence within the ‘Granite City’, a key consideration was the selection of stone which sympathetically complimented the local granites historically used within Aberdeen.

LDA Design worked closely with Hardscape to develop a longlist of potential granites for use within the Gardens. Through an extensive dialogue with Aberdeen City Council planning and heritage departments, and Historic Environment Scotland, this list was whittled down to the ultimately selected mix of European granites.

The sensitivities around the selection of stone materials, resulted in an extensive sample panel being constructed offsite to allow for the final finishes of the stone to be agreed. The variation in stone finishes has brought a subtle distinction in the tones and textures of the granites further adding to the qualities of the ultimate scheme design.

The selection of granite has resulted in the creation of a simple, elegant and robust ground plane which creates a background allowing key heritage and contemporary features shine brightly within the Gardens.

Hardscape’s skill and expertise have proven to be invaluable within this project, resulting in the selection of stone which successfully marries the past with the future, whilst complimenting the city as a whole. Hardscape worked collaboratively with the design team and contractor during the challenges of the pandemic as to ensure that the project was successfully delivered.

Hardscape were proud to supply a mixture of European granite paving, setts, steps and walling with combinations of Portuguese Silva Vilar, Cinza Ariz and Cinza Braga materials.