Why are corners so important?

Corner buildings are placed in an important location, where two streets meet.
These intersections are the places where people are most likely to congregate.
Corner buildings are highly visible. A typical town building will have one major facade facing the street with the other 3 sides tucked into the block. A corner building has 2 main facades facing the street. More visibility = more importance.
The corner building is more likely to shout “look at me!”

The Broch has some spectacular corner buildings in its town centre, built to make a bold statement.

The Town Chambers, Kirk Brae and Saltoun Square. Architect: Thomas MacKenzie, 1853-5. Council meetings took place upstairs, the lower arcades were originally open to accommodate trading on market days.

Anderson House, Broad Street and Frithside Street. Architect: probably Archibald Simpson, c. 1820-35. Designed as a town house for Baron Baillie Lewis Chalmers, it was soon to hold a bank, and its elegant reception rooms used for public gatherings.

The Dalrymple Hall, Harbour Road and Station Brae. Architects: Jenkins & Marr, 1881-3. The ultimate multipurpose building, the hall provided a café and dining room, a public hall with 1100 seats, recreation room, newsroom, library, museum and art school, public baths and sherriff court.