A stepped concrete control tower gives architectural form to the surveillance work behind Aberdeen’s fixed-wing and offshore helicopter traffic.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built 1978; operational by 1980; glazing upgraded 2005
- Architect / designer
- McAlister Armstrong and Partners with Sir Frederick Snow and Partners
- Type
- Operational modern air traffic control tower
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB52619)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 87651 12756
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Six floors diminish in plan to form a three-sided ziggurat, alternating dark glazing with angled precast-concrete panels. An octagonal visual control room crowns the twenty-two-metre structure above a central stair and lift core.
Its story
Dyce aerodrome opened in 1934 and expanded rapidly after offshore helicopter operations began in 1967. The present tower was constructed during western airfield redevelopment and entered service around 1980.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a rare operational post-war control tower whose assertive form, bespoke concrete cladding and continuing North Sea role unite engineering, architecture and social history.
What to notice
- The stepped profile narrowing toward the control room.
- Angled precast panels beneath each glazed band.
- The octagonal room with views across the airfield.
Reading the surroundings
Remain in lawful public areas and follow all airport security instructions. Do not approach perimeter fences, service roads or airside entrances, and never obstruct staff or emergency access.
Timeline
- 1934 A public aerodrome opened at Dyce to connect northern Scotland with wider air routes.
- 1967 Offshore helicopter flights began transforming the airport’s scale and purpose.
- 1978–80 The stepped control tower was built and brought into operational service.
- 2005 Upgraded glazing helped the visual control room meet changing technical requirements.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Internal arrangements and equipment change with operational requirements; neither the interior nor the nearby podium and garage forms part of the listing.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Aberdeen Airport Air Traffic Control Tower, LB52619 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB52619 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Aberdeen Airport: airport history — Current operator history, opening date and the expansion of fixed-wing and offshore helicopter activity.
- Aberdeen Airport: who does what — Current operational air-traffic-management context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 87651 12756 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; the public text separately states access and any current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
Suggest a marker correction
Suggest a more accurate position
The teal marker is the current published position. The orange marker starts slightly to its right so both remain visible; this is only a visual starting position. Tap the correct place on the map or drag the orange marker. Sending this form creates a private review entry only; it does not move the published marker.
Check this area in Google Maps Choose the Satellite layer there if useful.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. You can also enter checked coordinates below.