What Marischal Square shows about long-term city centre regeneration

The news that Great British Energy is making Marischal Square its new headquarters, has now brought renewed attention to one of Aberdeen’s most prominent city centre places.

Muse delivered Marischal Square with Aberdeen City Council and Aviva Investors several years ago. Since then, it has continued to evolve as part of Aberdeen city centre.

At Muse, we know regeneration is rarely judged at a single point in time. Places need to keep evolving, attracting businesses, supporting local economies and giving people more reasons to spend time in the heart of a town or city.

Regeneration is also subjective. Different people will always have different views about how places change, which is why the long-term test is whether they continue to support the city around them.

A place designed to evolve

That long-term view was central to the thinking behind Marischal Square.

Located next to the historic Marischal College, Marischal Square was designed to bring more activity to the east end of Aberdeen city centre. It brought forward workspace, hotel accommodation, places to eat and drink, public space and new routes through the city centre.

Since completion, its role has continued to grow through the businesses and occupiers it has attracted.

Attracting city centre occupiers

In 2024, North Sea Midstream Partners relocated its Aberdeen team from a city-outskirts location to Marischal Square, bringing more activity into the city centre. The company described the move as a long-term commitment to growth, with the new office providing space for its Aberdeen team, as well as colleagues visiting from London and Norway.

KPMG’s move to Marischal Square also underlined its appeal to major professional services employers. By bringing its Aberdeen teams together in one collaborative space, the firm added another established business to the heart of the city centre.

Great British Energy’s decision to make Marischal Square its headquarters now adds another important chapter to that story.

More than workspace

That matters because regional city centres need more than workspace alone. Workspace is important, but it is strongest when it sits alongside public space, places to eat and meet, and the everyday activity that makes a place feel useful beyond the working day.

Marischal Square was shaped around that wider role in mind. It helped create a stronger connection between Broad Street, Marischal College and the surrounding city centre, while bringing new activity to an area that had long been identified for renewal.

Its value is not only in those who occupies the buildings today. It is in how the development continues to support Aberdeen’s changing economy and city centre life over time.

Long-term value for Aberdeen

This is especially important as regional city centres continue to adjust to new patterns of work and changing expectations from occupiers. Offices still have an important role, but they need to be part of places that offer more throughout the day. People need somewhere to meet, eat, spend time and connect with the wider city. That is what helps city centres remain active, resilient and relevant.

Marischal Square reflects the value of partnership-led, mixed-use regeneration in regional centres. It shows how public and private partners can create places that are able to adapt as the needs of a city change.

As regional city centres continue to adapt, Marischal Square is a reminder of the value of taking a long-term view. Regeneration does not stop at completion. Its impact is seen over time, in the occupiers it attracts, the activity it supports and the role it continues to play in the life of a city.