The £4.2m Borders College Hawick Community College, has been officially opened today by the First Minister Alex Salmond.

Designed by Archial Architects the overall estates strategy for Borders College is based on a hub and spoke model with the main centre being located in Galashiels through a co-location agreement with Heriot-Watt University.

As one of the proposed spokes, the Hawick Learning Campus has been designed to respond to the increased demand for more flexible teaching and learning environments, local access to a wide portfolio of learning opportunities and workplace-based learning.

Located at Buccleuch Road on the A7 to the south west of Hawick, the Campus is easily accessible by car, public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.

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Charles McQuilkin of Archial Architects said: "The site has a fantastic aspect northwards over the playing field towards the River Teviot and to the hills beyond, and the long street frontage allows the College to have a visual presence within Hawick.

"The proximity to the High School on the other side of Buccleuch Road offers the opportunity to build links between the two educational establishments and the possibility of offering some shared classes, or of pooling resources."

The Hawick Learning Campus building has three key elements: an organic timber clad teaching block; a glazed wedge which contains the Learning Centre and forms the 'window' to the building; and a rendered drum that contains the special spaces, such as meeting rooms and the café area. The drum projects forward from the main building line into the landscaped zone to mark the main entrance.

Mr McQuilkin said: "The concept of the building is that these three elements are read quite distinctly and the glass wedge helps to separate and define them. This is an idea that is carried through into the detailing of the interior of the building."

Sustainability has been a strong driver in considering building form, mass and orientation, and when choosing materials. The main teaching spaces, for example, are naturally lit and ventilated as far as is possible, and this has led to large strips of horizontal glazing on the south elevation, which help to enforce the organic form of these elements.

(GK/JM)