Fairfield has been described as architecturally the finest shipyard building in Britain. Designed by renowned architects Honeyman and Keppie and completed in 1891, it is unquestionably the finest in Scotland and has iconic significance not just for Govan but for Glasgow and Scotland’s maritime heritage. The offices were constructed when Fairfield was the greatest and most successful shipyard in the world and designed to flaunt its prestige and rival in quality and style the finest merchant buildings of late 19th century Glasgow.
The ground floor with its rich panelling and ornate features, where shipyard management and accounting staff were housed, is entered through a magnificent hallway. A grand staircase leads to stylish loft offices on the upper floor where an abundance of overhead glazed rooflights were designed to provide natural light for draughtsmen to work at ease on their drawing boards. The floor divides neatly in two, with the ship drawing office to the east of the stairs and engine drawing office to the west. The building was A-Listed in 1970.