C20 Society has welcomed bold new proposals that would see the vacant Norco House department store in Aberdeen converted into a new city centre entertainment venue, spearheaded by a multi-level indoor go-karting circuit, bowling lane, and party venue. The brutalist concrete ziggurat was featured in C20’s 2023-24 Risk List of the most threatened buildings across the UK.

Norco House was built in 1966-70 by Covell, Matthews and Partners as a department store for the Northern Co-operative Society. Later acquired by John Lewis Partnership, it was refurbished and extended before re-opening in 1989. This was the most northerly John Lewis branch in the country and for many years outperformed its peers in Edinburgh and Glasgow. However the store closed during the Covid-19 lockdown and the retailer confirmed its closure was permanent in July 2021. The 200,000 sqft building has lain empty ever since.

The plans lodged by Aberdeen based Tinto Architects, would remove internal escalators and enlarge existing openings in the floorplates to the, to potentially accommodate a karting circuit spanning the second and third floors via ramps. The venue would be operated by TeamSport, who run a network of 37 go-karting venues nationwide.

Brutalist ziggurat

Probably the most distinctive post-war building in the ‘Granite City’ of Aberdeen, the five-storey concrete ziggurat presents a striking contrast to the smaller-scale traditional stone buildings that surround it, but uses a granite aggregate. Its elevations above the ground floor display windows are formed from sculptural and expressive angled vertical concrete ribs, with continuous clerestory windows. It represents the last wave of independent, stand-alone department store design in Scotland prior to the emergence of shopping centres.

First considered for listing in 2007 as part of a Historic Environment Scotland survey of Aberdeen city centre, it was rejected due to the extent of alteration to the building as a whole. It was assessed again in 2019/20 and although the George Street and St Andrew Street elevations were confirmed to be of special interest and recommended for designation at Category B, it was again rejected for listing because of the potential impact on the building and neighbouring development proposals.

The building was most recently used as a temporary Covid vaccination centre and an ambitious proposal for it to house a Scottish outpost of the Natural History Museum (following the successful opening of a satellite branch of the V&A in Dundee) were floated in February 2022, but discussions between city councillors and DCMS  stalled. Norco House was sold to developers EP Properties in September 2023 for a reported £270,000, with Aberdeen City Council’s George Street Masterplan (launched the following month)  designed around the retained building, and including plans for pedestrianisation and a new park called Norco Place. In 2024 a consortium of local businesses had been eyeing up Norco House for a new food and drink market, in-line with many other former departments stores across the UK, but these plans were later withdrawn due to disagreement on commercial terms with the building owners.

Comment

Oli Marshall, C20 Campaigns Director:

Since launching C20’s Department Stores campaign in 2022, it’s clear that multi-use models have led the way when it comes to reusing these former retail landmarks.

Despite the challenges such buildings can present – their sheer scale, deep floor plates, high energy costs – with the right vision and a sympathetic developer, it can be done.

Transforming the brutalist Norco House into an entertainment centre with go-karting, bowling, arcade games and a party area has to be one of the most imaginative proposals we’ve seen yet. From John Lewis to Lewis Hamilton? Bring it on!