Cato Data Centre, Auchtertool

9 June 2026

Graeme Nicholls Architects unveil design for Cato Hyper-Scale Data Centre in Fife

Graeme Nicholls Architects have revealed designs for ‘Cato’, a proposed 600MW hyperscale data centre for ILI Group, located near Auchtertool in Fife.

The project is the first in a proposed hyperscale network of large-scale data centres across Scotland’s central belt, known as ‘The Stoics’. Its name reflects the client’s interest in the Ancient Greek philosophy of stoicism, with its associations of strength, resilience and endurance.

The design draws inspiration from the ancient Greek stoa, a covered colonnaded walkway where the Stoic philosophers gathered to exchange ideas, and from the related classical tradition in which proportion, order and harmony were understood as expressions of a deeper philosophical worldview, as seen in the work of the Greek sculptor Polykleitos. These ideas have informed the proposal as a series of stepped forms, articulated in profiled anodised aluminium cladding, that give the buildings a robust and ordered architectural expression while bridging between human-scale and hyper-scale.

Graeme Nicholls, Director of Graeme Nicholls Architects said:
“It has been exciting to work on an emerging building typology of real significance.

Data centres are often understood as purely technical buildings, but we saw Cato as an opportunity to give this new infrastructure a clear architectural identity and narrative.

The proposals have been shaped by the setting, while drawing on the ordered, civic quality of the ancient stoa and the proportional ideas found in Polykleitos’ Canon.

Our aim was to respond to the exceptional scale of the brief without losing a sense of rhythm, order and human scale. The stepped forms, based on cubit units, colonnaded stoa and robust materiality are intended to give the buildings a calm and resilient presence within the landscape, while connecting digital infrastructure, renewable energy and architectural form.”

Greig Templeton, Planning Project Manager of Intelligent Land Investments Group, said:
“ILI are delighted with what Graeme Nicholls and his team have achieved.

We set Graeme Nicholls Architects a very difficult brief. First and foremost, ILI are a clean energy developer, and that has to come across in everything we do. Cato is only one of three hyperscale “green” data centres that we have planned across Scotland. We asked that each of these projects be a product of the site specific context, reach the highest standards of energy efficiency, and incorporate biodiversity measures. The harder instruction was that we wanted every drawing and image to tell that story, so that these important elements remain visible at the heart of the project.

Graeme and his team have done an incredible job. We’re continuing to work with them on net-zero housing elsewhere in Scotland, and can’t wait to see how the other Stoic data centre projects develop.”

The proposed data centre would be powered by renewable electricity and is being brought forward on land identified for employment use within the current Fife Local Development Plan.

Mark Wilson, CEO of Intelligent Land Investments Group, said:
“The submission of this planning application marks a major milestone for both Cato and Scotland’s digital infrastructure ambitions.

“Demand for data processing and AI infrastructure is growing rapidly across the world, and Scotland is well placed to play a leading role in meeting that demand thanks to its skilled workforce, strong renewable energy resources and existing industrial expertise.

“Cato represents a significant opportunity for Fife, bringing substantial investment, supporting high-quality jobs and helping to establish the region as a key location for future digital infrastructure. We look forward to continuing our engagement with local communities and stakeholders as the application progresses through the planning process.”

The proposed development represents an investment of around £5 billion and would be delivered in phases over several years.

Cato Data Centre, Auchtertool, Fife – Building Information

Project Data:

• Type of project: Data Centre
• Size: 650MW/ 280,000m2
• Location: Auchtertool, Fife
• Architect: Graeme Nicholls Architects
• Client: ILI Group
• Project Managers: Logan PM
• Local authority: Fife Council
• Visuals: Secchi Smith/ Graeme Nicholls Architects
• Drawings: Graeme Nicholls Architects

Graeme Nicholls Architects

E: mail@graemenicholls.com
T: 0141 611 9606

Graeme Nicholls Architects is a multiple award-winning architectural studio based in Glasgow, formed by Graeme Nicholls in 2016.

We love architecture and are proud to create buildings and spaces that are relevant and valuable to the people who use them.

Our projects are arts-led and are characterised by our interest in proportion, innovative use of materials, and a rich layering of cultural references to create a unique ‘narrative’ for each design. We apply these interests to our design process that challenges the client’s brief, the site, and the scope of the project to ensure that the best possible architectural solution is achieved.

www.graemenicholls.com

Cato Data Centre, Auchtertool, Fife architecture images / information received 090626 from Graeme Nicholls Architects

Location: near Little France, Edinburgh.