Baxters Place Edinburgh Flats, gm+ad Building Images, Architecture Design Project, Architect

Baxter’s Place Edinburgh : Student Residences

Edinburgh Student Residences design by Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop

27 Apr 2007

Images / information from gm+ad architects 270407:

Baxter’s Place

1-3 Baxter’s Place, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Student Residences – Baxter’s Place

In June 2006 gm+ad architects were commissioned by the design and planning director of the unite group, Mike Pottinger-Glass to develop a scheme for student residences in the heart of the new town conservation area and the World Heritage Site in Edinburgh.

The proposals submitted to the planning authorities in April, include the refurbishment of a Category a listed building (1-3 at baxter’s place) and its conversion into student residential accommodation above ground level (26 flats) & the provision of a limited number of non-residential floorspace (683 sq.Metres) in 3 units accessed at ground level from baxter’s place (ground+basement levels).

Baxter’s Place Student Flats

The alterations to the listed building will maximise its integrity by enabling the restoration of some of the features lost in the 1970s remodelation, such as blocked windows and sections of walls removed to link to the office extension block at the back.

The proposal incorporates the demolition of the 1970s indistiguished rear office extension and its the replacement with a medium scale density student residential development (47 flats). Furthermore, by reinstating its residential use and encouraging the development of retail uses on the street frontage, the development will contribute to maintain the active character of leith walk.

The proposal separates completely the listed building from the new build allowing free circulation around the whole site. In addition, the building has been set back from greenside lane to create a wider pavement and public spaces and landscaped areas to the north and the south of the site.

The massing of the elevations follow very simple design principles: breaking up the building in to volumes articulated with different building heights to negotiate the dramatic slope of the site and to blend with the roofscape views from calton hill.

The proposal will therefore make a significant contribution to the local community life, the student residents will add to the vitality of the area by supporting local services and facilities, at the same time, the mixed use and residential management function will provide employment opportunities. The proposal has been designed to respect and enhance views of the site and surroundings from calton hill.

The design has been evolved with due consideration of the range of national and local policy considerations.

1.Increasing residential accommodation in the city centre to maintain the vibrancy of the area by introducing student accommodation in the area to retain a balanced residential character.

2.Maintaining the mixed use character of leith walk by the introduction at ground level of retail units.

3.Enhancing and protecting the natural and built environment by integrating economic competitiveness with social inclusion.

4.Protecting the integrity, character and setting of the world heritage site, listed buildings and conservation areas.

5.Respecting and complimenting the roofscape & city views from calton hill.

6.Promoting urban wildlife habitats and sustainability.