Aviva Offices


(General Accident Headquarters)

The Aviva Pitheavlis site comprises a striking ziggurat-like office complex, off Necessity Brae, 1½ miles (2.5 km) southwest of the centre of Perth. Designed by Dundee-based architects James Parr and Partners, supported by engineers Ove Arup and Partners, this is regarded as one of Scotland's finest commercial office buildings. The immense structure consists of a series of levels landscaped into Craigie Hill and was built between 1979 and 1983 as the world headquarters of the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation (GAFLAC), housing more than 1000 staff. The contractor was Sir Robert McAlpine. Enclosed garden courtyards are inserted through the levels and these are planted in Japanese style with evergreens, shrubs and rockwork. Despite extending to approximately 25,000 sq. m / 270,000 sq. feet, the extent of the green landscaping minimises the building's visual and environmental impact. A double-height entrance hall is clad in Italian Botticino marble, while the board-room is panelled in maple with rosewood doors, while executive offices have elm-panelled walls and coffered ceilings. The building won a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award in 1987. In 2017, the building was A-listed owing to its architectural importance. Environmental features include solar canopies sheltering 342 car parking spaces to the south (one of the largest such developments when it was completed in 2020), a 900 kW wind turbine and a 1.8 MWh energy storage system.

Abstract sculptures in stainless steel located at either side of the entrance are by the Glasgow-born sculptor George Wyllie (1921 - 2012). To the right of the entrance porch are bronze plaques that commemorate General Accident employees killed during the First and Second World Wars. These were relocated here from their former headquarters on Tay Street in Perth.

General Accident was founded in Perth in 1885, and grew into one of the largest insurance companies in Britain, with a multi-national presence. In 1998, General Accident merged with Commercial Union to form CGU. Two years later, this company merged with Norwich Union to form CGNU, which was renamed Aviva in 2002.

By 2009, the Aviva Group was the world's fifth-largest insurance group and the largest in the UK, with £364 billion of funds under management, 57,000 employees and more than 45 million customers.

Although the Pitheavlis office continued for a time as a divisional headquarters, responsible for corporate partnerships, together with broker business in Scotland and the North of England, group pensions and underwriter training, it now principally operates as a call-centre. Much of the building is now let to other organisations.


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