From Three to Thirty in Three Years: Wallace Whittle’s Growth in Edinburgh.

As Wallace Whittle approaches its 60th anniversary, we are also celebrating another significant milestone in the East of Scotland: our Edinburgh office has turned three years old. After a period of growth and the recent completion of our office expansion on Thistle Street, there is no better time to reflect on the past few years.

Over these three years, our Edinburgh team has grown from three to thirty members, and the office has flourished. From taking on a wide range of projects in and around Edinburgh, and across the UK, to nurturing the professional growth of our staff, our Edinburgh office has seen remarkable development in a short period of time. To mark this occasion, we look back on the past three years of our Edinburgh office—the projects, the team that have shaped it, and the exciting future ahead.

Early Days and Initial Growth 

Our Edinburgh office first opened in 2021 at Lochrin Square, shortly after our MBO. Rapid growth soon required an office expansion, leading us to our current location at 38 Thistle Street. Situated parallel to George Street in the heart of the New Town, Thistle Street is an ideal location for us, surrounded by an array of small local businesses and cafes which foster a sense of community.  

In 2021, when the office moved to Thistle Street, our Edinburgh office underwent a significant fit-out. This was designed to reflect the quality and standardisation of our Glasgow head office, ensuring consistency across our locations. Emphasising collaboration and dynamic workspaces, our office features a soundproof pod, collaborative workspaces, a spacious meeting room and social space.  

Our initial team comprised Director and Head of Sustainability Stephen Osborne, Associate Director Jacob Bredski, and Principal Mechanical Engineer Kiyomi Honjigawa—all of whom have witnessed and contributed to the remarkable growth of our Edinburgh office over the past three years. We spoke to Stephen to hear his thoughts on the team’s growth and success in Edinburgh. 

“I have been fortunate to have clients and industry friends who have supported our growth, along with colleagues who joined me at Wallace Whittle’s Edinburgh office. The energy and focus within the business after our MBO in April 2021, and the support from Allan McGill and my colleagues, have been invaluable. The calibre of our team is evident in the major projects and repeat commissions we’ve secured. I feel privileged and proud to be part of this journey.” Stephen Osborne

Edinburgh Expansion

With our recent expansion completed on the second floor of 38 Thistle Street, we have significantly increased our office capacity, paving the way for further team expansion. Adding an extra meeting room allows both external and internal meetings to run concurrently. With the expanded office positioned higher within the building, this area also benefits from abundant natural light through the original windows, further enhancing the workspace environment.

With this expansion, our office can now accommodate up to 40 members of staff, and the new space reflects our dedication to standardisation across our office designs and provides the same high-spec level of technology and equipment, with our 40 inch curved screens, plug & go hot-desking and the best office coffee you’ll find!

Team and Expertise

Our Edinburgh team displays a variety of specialisms and expertise, forming a close-knit and collaborative group. These diverse experiences enable us to deliver high-quality services across all our clients’ needs, regardless of sector, resulting in a varied and impressive project portfolio. This diversity benefits our team, offering them opportunities to take on responsibilities and expand their skillsets!

The Edinburgh office is home to a wide range of disciplines, from MEP and Marketing to HR and Sustainability. Our culture prioritises communication and collaboration across these fields. Our team of 30 professionals brings expertise in Revit & BIM, WELL, BREEAM, NABERS, WiredScore, and Whole Life Carbon Assessments. The hot-desking setup encourages staff to interact, collaborate, and learn from each other. The office, beautifully designed with collaboration and social spaces, features office-wide music with our own playlists, and hosts regular staff and client events. These elements have been instrumental in fostering a positive and collaborative workforce.

Stephen added, “We work hard and focus on keeping quality high in everything we do, and balance that with positive culture and energy. That energy has had an injection, with a lot of younger staff including our amazing Degree Apprentices driving down the average age. I am easily the oldest in the office, but the team still let me play!”  

Project Highlights

The market in Scotland requires our Edinburgh office to be adaptable, seamlessly functioning across various sectors. Our Edinburgh team excels in both private and public sector developments, showcasing their expertise and versatility, collaborating with wonderful clients from diverse sectors, including education, residential, retail, healthcare, and commercial sectors, among others.

The ability to serve a diverse range of projects enables our team to deliver customised solutions and designs that meet the unique needs of each client. Whether it’s developing innovative educational facilities such as Maybole Community Campus, creating sustainable residential projects like West Town, or modernising office spaces for clients such as Virgin Money, our Edinburgh office consistently rises to the occasion. This diversity of projects not only drives our growth and success but also reflects the dedication and talent of our staff.   

Sustainability

In addition to his role as head of our Edinburgh office, Stephen Osborne also leads our Sustainability team across Wallace Whittle, from our sustainability staff in Edinburgh and Glasgow, to further afield in Aberdeen, England and Northern Ireland. Sustainability is a fundamental part of our business at Wallace Whittle, and our Edinburgh office is proud to host a dedicated team of sustainability, energy, and NZC (Net Zero Carbon) specialists. Our Sustainability team offers comprehensive expertise to support a wide range of developments, ensuring that we can actively contribute to a more sustainable future.

Our services, including building physics, compliance, certification, and carbon assessment, enable our team to make a significant impact on each project. From the very inception of projects, our staff are involved in the critical planning and appraisal processes. This early engagement allows us to shape and influence the sustainability outcomes of developments, ensuring they meet stringent environmental standards and contribute positively to the community.

“As Head of Sustainability as well as our Edinburgh office lead, it is an exciting place to be and means I regularly visit other offices to push our expertise across the UK. One of the things I’m most proud of is the bespoke methodology we have developed for analysis and cost-effective refurbishment and repurposing of existing buildings, considering Health and Wellbeing, as well as embodied and operational carbon. This offers significant added value for our clients.” Stephen shared.

Looking Forward 

With Wallace Whittle celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and our Edinburgh office recently completing its expansion within the Thistle Street location, we are excited about what the next few years hold for our Edinburgh team. Our Edinburgh office is currently in the pre-planning stages for various significant developments across the UK, including BTR, PBSA, offices and HE/FE.

Reflecting on the future of the Edinburgh office, Stephen Osborne shared, “Our policy of prioritising our staff and helping them reach their full potential remains top of our agenda, and our clients value this approach too. As our client base continues to grow, we will respond to that demand, a demand that I am very grateful for it. Significantly, we are seeing a greater proportion of larger projects year on year. What will not change, though, is our unwavering commitment to the quality and consistency of our work and the service we provide.”

With the recent completion of the Edinburgh office expansion and our growing team across various specialties, our Edinburgh office is on track for continued development and consistent delivery in the coming years!

If you would like to discuss your next project, sustainability goals or NZC, feel free to reach out to Stephen directly.

We currently have a number of roles available in our Edinburgh Office and wider Sustainability team, see these below or visit our Careers page.