Case study: The refurbishment of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory

Author's Biography

Nicola Hall ARB, RIAS, is a chartered architect based in Edinburgh. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art (Heriot Watt University) and took part in an Erasmus programme with the KTH School of Architecture in Stockholm in 1992. She joined Lee Boyd after graduating from Heriot-Watt University the same year and has been a Director of the practice since 2001. Nicola has a keen interest in the adaptation and reuse of existing buildings and the integration of contemporary design within traditional buildings. Her early experience on interior projects for the National Galleries and Museums of Scotland provided a solid foundation for larger and more complex projects. These have ranged from major factory and office refurbishment projects to the sensitive adaptation of housing, and more recently the design of a ‘House for Healing’ for a children’s charity. Many of these projects have involved careful adaptation of listed buildings to meet current standards, such as the redesign of the approach to the Ashworth Laboratories for Edinburgh University, the gateway to the King’s Buildings Campus, or the accessibility improvements made to the buildings at High School Yards in Edinburgh. Nicola led the design team responsible for the refurbishment of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory. She initially carried out an option appraisal for the extension and upgrading of the building, then worked with the team to develop this into a full programme of works. The works address a range of issues and include substantial remodelling of the interior layout to improve access, asbestos removal, building services renewal and a full roof replacement.

Michael Doherty ARB, RIAS, RIBA, is a chartered architect, qualifying in 1999 after gaining his degree at Heriot-Watt University. In 2008 he was made an Associate with Lee Boyd where he has gained a wealth of experience spanning both the public and private sectors, working on projects as diverse as the reconstruction of firedamaged ‘Colonies’ houses in Edinburgh and the conversion of coach houses to create new studio space at the Haining House in Selkirk. His experience working with traditional and historic buildings during this period has had an emphasis on adaptive reuse, as well as repair and maintenance, to enable buildings to maintain a useful working life. Within the practice he has a key role in keeping up to date with legislative and statutory requirements. Mike was project architect on the Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory project, providing a key contact point for the client, design team and members of the construction team. His knowledge of building physics and technical expertise was critical, ensuring that the works were designed to meet current technical standards, but also took account of the various complex challenges which arose during the works. He liaised closely with the local authority to ensure the necessary consents were in place and consulted with Historic Environment Scotland and technical associations on proposals for remedial works to the building fabric.

Patrick Harris ARB, joined Lee Boyd after graduating from Robert Gordon University in 2019. As part of his professional studies he carried out a detailed case study on the Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory refurbishment project. He was a key member of the design team, supporting the project throughout the main construction phases. He qualified as an architect in 2023 and has continued to support a wide range of different projects within the practice, including the Haining House refurbishment project. Haining House, a category A listed Palladian building, is currently being renovated and converted into a community centre. Patrick has also recently worked on a number of house extensions across Scotland and several feasibility studies. Many of these are within listed buildings or involve complex design and technical challenges. He is particularly interested in the refurbishment and reuse of existing buildings, especially in relation to sustainable design.