An Lòchran Enterprise & Research Centre is located on Plot 10 on the Inverness Campus, a major educational and business location where companies and academic institutions interact and collaborate which was opened in May 2015.

The building’s occupiers include Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), UHI, and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) which offers research and consultancy services.

Commenting on the design of the new building, James Dick, Partner at Sheppard Robson’s Glasgow office, said: “With different functions beyond simply office, teaching and research accommodation, the building sets out not only to encourage collaboration between its various users, it creates a venue to support vital internal and external business investment to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.”

Crucial to the success of the design, the UHI wing of the overall building was arranged as separate blocks to meet the needs of the different stakeholders. This then gives each stakeholder the opportunity for their own identity and also allows for flexibility and to address future requirements in terms of adaptability and expansion or change to accommodation over time.

James Dick added: “The external design concept is strongly influenced by the surrounding landscape and also embraces the design principle set out by HIE for the masterplan of the Campus. The space planning of the HIE wing accommodates staff covering a wide variety of functions coming together in the one building.

“All internal occupied spaces that require daylight and ventilation will achieve this naturally. The building successfully supports different types of working environment either for individuals or groups along with formal and informal meeting areas and a social space.”

HIE’s interim chief executive, Charlotte Wright, said: “An Lòchran has been designed specifically for multi-occupancy. It is very much at the heart of our vision for Inverness Campus as a centre for collaboration involving business, research, academia and the wider community.

“The co-location of HIE, University of the Highlands and Islands and SRUC very quickly created excellent new opportunities for joint working.”