Robertson leads the way with prestigious industry award

Leading infrastructure company Robertson is celebrating after its most significant project received the overall ‘winner of winners’ award at the prestigious Structural Timber Awards.

Robertson was part of the project team recognised for delivering the flagship £140 million distillery and visitor experience for The Macallan in Speyside – close to the town of Elgin where Robertson was founded over 50 years ago.

Robertson, who delivered the complex architectural design, was joined on stage by engineering company Arup, installer L&S Baucon GmbH, Wiehag GmbH and architects Rogers Stirk Harbours + Partners.

Brian Anderson, project director for Robertson said: “The Structural Timber Awards highlight the exceeding levels of innovation in building with wood – from architectural design and engineering to construction.

“The Macallan is an example of all of the above and more. It was a complex, ambitious project that during construction involved up to 400 people specialising in more than 20 different trades on-site – which gives an idea of the true scale of the project.

“It’s an honour to be recognised alongside the wider businesses that contributed to what has been a once-in-a-lifetime project that we are immensely proud to have been part of.”

The Macallan’s undulating timber roof structure is one of the most complicated timber roof structures in the world, comprising 380,000 individual components. Each junction and beam has a specific name and has been tested in over 160 different load conditions while ‘The Swiss Alpine Design code’ has been used to understand the effects of wind, snow and ice on the intricate structure.

Natural materials – local stone, timber and the living meadow roof – as well as the landscaping design not only evoke the environment and ingredients of whisky production but also serve to provide an atmospheric journey for the visitor.

The first whisky ran through the stills in December last year and the visitor experience opened its doors to the public in early June