ST ANDREWS GATEWAY CENTRE - MUSEUM / EXHIBITION / CONFERENCE / HOSPITALITY / LEISURE

CONCEPT AND BUILDING USE

Part 1 The University Now - Ground Floor

An exhibition on the ground floor to which all visitors have free access. This should contain graphics, text, interactive units and objects (but not ‘treasures’) illustrating the character of the modern University, focusing on important / exciting current research projects and other developments of interest to potential students and sponsors or of general interest to the public. Quality and style will link this area to Part 2.

Aim: to promote and market the University as a centre of excellence in higher education.

Part 2 The Story of St Andrews University (provisional title) - Lower Ground Floor

A museum / exhibition on the lower ground floor. Visitors pay to see the museum that tells the story of the University and contains displays on its many fascinating collections.

Aim: to provide increased public access to the University’s museum collections; to promote public understanding of the University’s contribution to the history of St Andrews and Scotland; to provide a laboratory for museum studies and a learning resource for other subjects.

Key features:

• A clear mission to tell the story of St Andrews University, in the context of St Andrews, Scotland and the wider world.

• Accessible to the whole range of public visiting St Andrews, but especially designed to inspire potential students, and to appeal to alumni of the University and all persons with an interest in Scottish history.

• A single ‘permanent’ gallery, but designed so that all the separate elements can be replaced or renewed, in what will be a cost efficient rolling programme, so that the display overall never looks dated.

• Dominated by authentic objects, including some of the University’s greatest treasures, but also the curious and the typical, so that the long history of the University can be understood through its material remains.

• Including state-of-the-art display technology, to aid interpretation of objects (e.g. internal workings of a scientific instrument), concepts (e.g. interactive computer-generated illustration of a local invention) or contexts (e.g. ‘virtual tour’ of St Andrews Cathedral in 1411 or the original St Salvator’s Chapel).

• Designed to the highest quality possible to:

    • accord with the high specifications of the rest of the building; and
    • meet the standards expected of an institution that is Scotland’s leading centre for museum studies.

• Including special displays on subject areas clearly related to the history of the University, but of wider general interest - e.g. art, astronomy, golf, natural history, religion, personalities from Scottish and world history, etc.

• Above all, this will be an opportunity to create something special and unique - the University’s illustrated history as it reflects or reacts to developments around it in culture, education, leisure, politics, religion, etc. over a period of nearly 600 years.

Part 3 Conference Hall / Lecture Theatre - Lower Ground Floor

Located on the Lower Ground Floor, the Conference facility will provide all the meeting and back-up facilities expected of a high quality establishment. The Conference space can be linked to the Exhibition Space for break-out purposes and can provide a unique environment for conferences of all descriptions.

The Department of Museum Studies at the University will also use this space on a regular basis for teaching purposes.

The space will also be capable of being adapted for events like a Graduation Ball, the World Scientific Congress of Golf, graduate weddings, alumnus fundraising events etc.

Part 4 Hospitality Facilities - Second Floor

The hospitality facilities on the top floor of the building are for hospitality to three groups of users:

• visitors to St Andrews;
• the University and its graduates (alumnus), friends and visiting dignitaries;
• the resident population.

These facilities will continue to tell the St Andrews Story with emphasis on the theme of ‘Home of Golf.

There will be two lounges - the Home of Golf Lounge and the University of St Andrews Lounge (Alumnus Lounge). Both reflect the main themes of the building and are indicative of the integrated functions and image of the building.

Also on the top floor will be a library with business facilities. The books within the library will reflect the St Andrews Story - its History, its University and its place as the ‘Home of Golf.

The usage of Hospitality areas on this floor are not exclusive or elitist. They are an extension of what happens in the rest of the building, not exclusive from them.

Visitors will use the facilities as a source of entertainment whilst staying in the town. The focus for visitors is to provide a facility with which they can establish a long-term affinity with St Andrews, encouraging them to return to the town many times over and always providing them with a rewarding and fulfilling experience.

The University and its graduates and friends will use the hospitality and leisure facilities to entertain visitors to the University - parents of students, visiting dignitaries, parties visiting the museum collections and for functions.

The Alumnus Lounge is particularly geared to welcoming the alumni back to the town and making them feel an important part of today’s University, thus valuable ambassadors. This will link to the University’s ‘Friends of St Andrews’ Scheme.

Locals will be encouraged to use the facilities as a place where they can:

• do business; and
• relax and be entertained in a first class environment.

Use of these facilities for whatever reasons are unrestricted except for a modest entrance fee.

Part 5 Leisure Facilities - First Floor

The First Floor Leisure Facilities are for unrestricted use, again on payment of a fee.

The facilities, including a Gym, Sauna, Steam Baths, Juice Bar, Physiotherapy Unit, Aromatherapy, Beauty Therapy, provide everything a customer might expect from a modern Health and Fitness Club.

Part 6 Retail - Ground Floor

Retailing in the Centre comprises two types, neither of which conflict in any way with what is already on offer in the town.

• Merchandising directly relating to the Museum Collections on show in the Building - the Museum Shop.

• Merchandise relating to the alumnus of St Andrews University. This will be a specially commissioned range of goods designed and developed by St Andrews International in partnership with the External Relations Team from the University. The two-fold purpose of this is:

   a) to increase awareness of the modern University amongst its graduates; and
   b) to raise funds for the External Relations Department for the benefit of the University’s outreach activities.

Part 7 Catering

Catering in the Centre takes the form of:

• A café on the Ground Floor to cater for visitors to the Museum and for students and academics who work and live on the North Haugh; and

• A restaurant on the Second Floor to provide meals for visitors to the hospitality and leisure facilities.

Part 8 Public Benefits

The Museum Collections are of national and international significance and should be in the public domain under one roof. Because of the sensitivity and delicate nature of some of the exhibits a controlled environment is required.

The position of the building at the entrance to the town will encourage people to stop and either walk into the historic centre or use Gateway’s ‘park and ride’ service.

Visitors to the University will have a top class orientation centre and reception.

Visitors to the town will have a welcome facility. 70 new jobs will be created. The demise of the fishing industry, farming and now the closure of Cartermill’s publishing operation in the town means that action to reverse the trend is required now. Tourism offers the only viable alternative.

St Andrews University has the leading Museum Studies Course in the country - it needs a working Museum to sustain and enhance its reputation.

The significance of the Collection and the importance of St Andrews University in Scottish History make this museum a natural outreach for the National Museum in Edinburgh, adding again to its importance.