Edinburgh Architecture News in 2015, Lothian Buildings, Architects, Images, Scotland, Design
Edinburgh Building News 2015
Scottish Architectural + Construction Updates – East of Scotland Property
Edinburgh Architecture News for 2015
Edinburgh News Archive
More visitors getting a taste for Scotland
29 Dec – Ewing toasts industry after ‘hugely successful’ Year of Food and Drink.
Scotland’s tourism industry stands in good stead as the Year of Food and Drink draws to a close and the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins, Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said today.
The industry is on a high with an increase in visitor numbers to Scotland and a successful Year of Food & Drink:
• Overseas and domestic tourism visitors to Scotland have both increased by seven per cent in the last year
• As the Year of Food & Drink ends, visitors consider trying local food to be one of the top activities, 66 per cent think that the quality of food is important when choosing Scotland as a destination and more than 1000 tourism businesses have received the Taste Our Best accreditation, which ensures visitors eat quality ingredients of Scottish provenance
• The industry is adapting to an increase in the number of visitors coming in the colder months – increasing from 4.7 million trips between October 2008 and March 2009 to 5.7 million in the same period in in 2014-15
• The marine tourism market is worth £360 million and – through the Marine Tourism Strategy – the industry is taking steps to grow this to £450m by 2020
• Further success in Scotland as a destination for business tourism, with the £2 million Conference Bid Fund delivering a gross return of up to £200 million
• Further work to promote accessible tourism for people with disabilities
• Significant investment by public, private and third sectors in tourist attractions, venues, hotels and accommodation
• Highlighting the enormous contribution of the caravan and holiday park sector to the economy – worth over £700m per annum
• Promotion of a planning framework to boost the importance of tourism to the economy and country
• Success in a further series of major events brought to Scotland bringing many more visitors to Scotland
Seasons Greetings
23 Dec – We wish our readers a Merry Christmas. We hope you all enjoy the holiday.
Edinburgh Marina
23 Dec – A large planned transformation of Granton Harbour said to be worth £300m to the economy has been given the go-ahead. Edinburgh Marina will feature a 300-berth dock, 2000 homes and retail space. Developers are Granton Central Developments Limited.
Read more: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/granton-harbour-redevelopment-gets-council-green-light-1-3982370#ixzz3v8D1zXyx
King’s Stables Road Development News
22 Dec – A major development by architects Fletcher Joseph Associates and landscape architects HarrisonStevens has been lodged with planning for the long-neglected site between Argyle House and Edinburgh Castle.
The developers are a joint venture between Peveril Securities – the development arm of the Bowmer and Kirkland Group – and Campus Development Management. The site has been taken under-option from City of Edinburgh Council, reports Construction News Scotland.
The design is by architects Fletcher Joseph Associates, landscape architects HarrisonStevens and specialist student accommodation provider Campus Development Management.
The proposed mixed-use development will include a hotel; studios, one and two bedroom flats (including 25 per cent affordable housing); student accommodation, a new public square with café to the foot of King’s Bridge and an arts facility.
The current mix of buildings on the site – formerly council offices, storage premises and workshops – have lain vacant since 2009 and were put on the market last year by the council, who deemed them surplus to requirements.
Peveril Securities is currently working with Standard Life on a development in St Andrew Square to deliver office, retail and residential.
EAA Photography Competition
22 Dec – In the lead up to the 2016 Festival of Architecture the EAA is delighted to launch a photography competition that will celebrate and share inspiring spaces within the EAA Chapter area – see events page for details
Forth Road Bridge Opening News
22 Dec – The Forth Road Bridge is to reopen on Wednesday after temporary repairs were completed ahead of schedule, reports the BBC this morning. It will open at 6am to all traffic except HGVs. It should reopen to HGVs in mid-February.
Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
22 Dec – Plans have been submitted to encase the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery with aluminium cladding to improve the environment in front of the castle in advance of the long term proposals for the castle and surrounding areas, reports Construction News Scotland.
The Highland Council, working in partnership with High Life Highland, said the “bold, eye catching” cladding will enhance visibility of the existing building and will provide greater awareness of the museum to visitors and tourists.
Designed by local architects Three sixty Architecture, the cladding will be made from maintenance-free light sandstone coloured anodised, perforated aluminium to complement the neighbouring stone of the Town House building. Given the light reflective properties of the wrapping, it will change appearance throughout the day and night.
Scottish Society of Architect Artists Exhibition
22 Dec – Special artworks by Scottish and European architect-artists will be displayed along with several items on the theme of Innovation Architecture and Design: 12 Jan – 6 Feb 2016 – see events page for details
Glasgow Women’s Library Building
21 Dec – The Glasgow Women’s Library in Bridgeton has opened following refurbishment designed by Collective Architecture of a B listed Carnegie library, one of seven to be donated to the city by the industrialist.
Cockenzie Power Station Building News
20 Dec – The last remnants of Cockenzie Power Station have been demolished. Over the next six months, work will take place to clear materials from the site and remove the old office and other ancillary buildings.
RIAS Festival of Architecture – Bread and Circuses
18 Dec – Scathing article by Professor Alan Dunlop on e-architect: “The RIAS needs to tackle the toughest issues facing the profession rather than focus on easy-win, media-friendly initiatives.”
RIAS Festival of Architecture Criticism
Donaldson’s School Edinburgh
18 Dec – Plans to transform the building formerly home to Donaldson’s College in Edinburgh into over 100 homes have received planning permission by the City of Edinburgh Council – see The Crescent at Donaldson’s.
City & Country will restore and convert the Category A Listed Playfair building, whilst CALA Evans will create a range of contemporary homes in the surrounding grounds.
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Hotel Rejected
17 Dec – Rejection for New Hotel for the Royal High School Site scheme by Hoskins Architects.
Forth Road Bridge Closure Inquiry News
17 Dec – At its meeting on 16 December the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee agreed to hold an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the closure of the Forth Road Bridge. Specifically, the remit of the inquiry is:
“To examine the management, monitoring and maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge principally in the 10 year period prior to its closure on public safety grounds in December 2015.”
Scottish Church Building Repairs
17 Dec – Seven distinguished churches and a cathedral are to have urgent and essential repairs carried out thanks to a £1.55m funding package announced today.
Royal High School Preservation Trust Proposals
16 + 15 Dec – Three new perspectives illustrating the alternative scheme for Edinburgh’s old Royal High School have been published by the Royal High School Preservation Trust.
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Alternative
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Hotel Images
16 Dec – New images added of the new Hotel for the Royal High School Site by Hoskins Architects.
Revamped Homes for Scotland Awards Launched
15 Dec – Industry body Homes for Scotland has opened up entries for its refreshed and refocused 2016 awards scheme, designed to showcase the sector’s achievements in building homes that meet a diverse range of needs and aspirations.
Introduced in 2003 in order to recognise and promote best practice, the awards underpin the organisation’s work, with this year’s programme featuring refreshed categories.
GIA Design Awards News
15 Dec – The Glasgow Institute of Architects is pleased to announce the 2015 GIA Design Awards winners: 51 entries from 33 practices, 7 categories including conservation and small works, and 3 special awards.
Maggie’s Lanarkshire by Edinburgh architects Reiach and Hall won not only the GIA Supreme Award but also the Wood for Good Award and the Healthcare Award.
Forth Road Bridge Opening
15 Dec – Engineers are working towards having the Forth Road Bridge open to traffic in the first week of January.
Bridge operator Amey said the date of January 4 was dependent on the weather, but said the work was on track. Seven days were needed for the assessment and design of the repair to the bridge before three weeks of engineering work.
The bridge was closed to all traffic on after a crack was discovered in a truss under the carriageway.
Plans to fix the problem, which involves a plate welded repair to the damaged truss end link and jacking the link into position, were checked and verified by two independent specialist engineering firms last week.
An access platform was constructed to allow teams of welders to work day and night when weather conditions permit as work on the exposed area cannot be carried out when wind speeds exceed 35mph.
New Waverley Station Mezzanine
15 Dec – A major redevelopment of Waverley Station has been announced with a new mezzanine level to free space for more platforms has been proposed by owner Network Rail.
The proposal is designed to cope with passenger numbers due to rise by 114% between 2012 and 2043.
The plan is contained within the Scotland Route Study that considers expansion and improvement of Scottish railways.
A mezzanine at Waverley would facilitate “safe and easy station navigation and relocated retail/passenger facilities, to allow more platform capacity for trains”.
Muirhouse Student Housing
15 Dec – A disused church on Edinburgh’s Pennywell Road, Muirhouse, is to be demolished and replaced by new build student housing under plans submitted by EMA.
Sir Robert, The Royal Incorporation and The Festival of Architecture 2016
15 Dec – A free lecture by Neil Baxter Hon FRIAS, Secretary & Treasurer, The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, took place yesterday at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Founded in 1916 at a dinner honouring Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) was, with Holyrood Palace, a main beneficiary of Anderson’s Will, five years later. For its centenary, the Incorporation is preparing the largest celebration of the ‘mother of the arts’ ever seen – with public events the length and breadth of Scotland, highlighting the crucial importance of a quality built environment to all of our lives – and to generate a lot of fun.
Triple Kirks Dandara Proposal
14 Dec – Approval has been given for a 13-storey new accommodation facility at former Triple Kirks site in the heart of Aberdeen. The project is designed by local architects Halliday Fraser Munro.
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Planning
11 Dec – Edinburgh council planners have urged councillors to reject proposals to transform the former Royal High School Building into a £75m hotel, jointly developed by Urbanist Hotels and Duddingston House Properties. The planners consider the proposal would have “a significant adverse impact on the character” of the site.
University of Edinburgh Principal Acquire Old Surgical Hospital
11 Dec – University of Edinburgh Principal, Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, said: “We are very excited about the acquisition of the Old Surgical Hospital Building. It will enable us to expand our outstanding teaching facilities and help us consolidate our position as a world-class university that is accessible to the wider community.”
The project managers will be Faithful and Gould and the architects will be Bennetts Associates.
New Business Park at Edinburgh Airport
11 Dec – Developers have submitted plans by 7N Architects for the first phase of a £700m new district which will see a business park at Edinburgh Airport.
Edinburgh Architectural Association Awards
2016 will be a very special year for the Edinburgh Architectural Association Awards: it is the Centenary year of the RIAS and the year of the Festival of Architecture 2016; a year-long festival celebrating the best of Scottish architecture.
New Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre
11 Dec – Plans to build a £333m exhibition and conference centre in Aberdeen have been approved by councillors. Developer is Henry Boot and the architects Keppie Design.
Bonnington Village Homes
10 Dec – Miller Homes have drawn up plans by Architects EMA for a development of 214 homes arranged over five blocks at Bonnington Village on a site presently occupied by warehousing.
Forth Road Bridge Crack Fix
10 Dec – Plans to fix the problem which forced the closure of the Forth Road Bridge have been finalised. Amey engineers have been working around the clock to develop a solution to the crack on one of the bridge’s truss end links.
St. James Square, Edinburgh – 20th Century Urban History
The architectural historian Tom Parnell will discuss the 20th century urban history of the St. James Square area. Docomomo Scotland’s last event in 2015 – mulled wine and mince pies from 6pm.
see the events page for details.
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Alternative Proposals
8 Dec – Alternative proposals to redevelop the former Royal High School into a new music school have been formally submitted by the Royal High School Preservation Trust.
Former Royal High School Edinburgh Alternative Proposals
Pentland Studios Straiton Call-in News
8 Dec – The Scottish Government rejects a request to call-in plans for a £140m film and television studio development in Midlothian. Developers PSL Land Ltd’s attempt to speed up a planning decision on their proposals was made after it claimed the council failed to decide on the campus within their stated time frame. The facility would be Scotland’s first purpose-built film studio complex.
Forth Road Bridge Work Cancellation
8 Dec – The closure of the Forth Road Bridge could have been avoided if it were not for the “incompetence” of government agency Transport Scotland, claims engineer John Carson: he condemned the government agency for ditching plans to strengthen part of the bridge five years ago adding that Friday’s closure could be directly linked to that decision.
Scotland’s Top 100 Buildings
7 Dec – The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland’s (RIAS) list of the top-100 buildings in Scotland from the last century has been released. The list includes the Scottish Parliament Building and Stirling University.
The public will now have the chance to vote for their favourite building as part of the Festival of Architecture next year. The Festival is the cornerstone of Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
The Scotstyle list, which features buildings from 1916 right up to the present day, has been compiled by RIAS as a celebration of Scottish architecture. The exhibition Scotstyle will be touring around the country in 2016 to give the public a chance to view and vote for the properties. The venues for the exhibition won’t just be galleries or libraries, it’s going to railway stations and shopping centres, so that people from all walks of life can appreciate these buildings and vote for their favourite.
The list was selected from more than 400 nominations put forward by members of the public, with a group of architects, critics and architectural historians whittling it down to 100 properties. Now the public can once again get involved by voting for their favourite to be named as the best building in Scotland of the last century.
More info: Scotland’s Top 100 Buildings
The Registers
7 Dec – City of Edinburgh Council has given the green light to a £60m Chris Stewart Group regeneration project.
Approval of plans for The Registers, an area to the south east of St Andrew Square, will see two important heritage buildings given a new lease of life, new office accommodation and street level shops, bars and restaurants.
Chris Stewart said:
“I am delighted that we have the go ahead for The Registers from City of Edinburgh Council. It is an area in the city centre in desperate need of regeneration. The site is currently made up of a warren of neglected lanes and empty buildings falling into disrepair…”
The Council approval followed an extensive consultation period and the presentation of robust evidence backing the development. The mixed-use scheme will create a vibrant and complementary mix of new offices, hotel, residential / serviced apartments, retail units and restaurants.
As part of the plans, 90% of the listed fabric of the site will be restored, including two key historic listed buildings currently on the ‘at risk’ register. New life will be given to one of the most important art deco banking halls as a restaurant at the neo-classical 42 St Andrew Square and reinstating a former warehouse at 28 West Register Street into active commercial use while preserving its remarkable Venetian Gothic façade.
Buildings along part of West Register Street will make way for c. 60,000 sqft of much needed high quality Grade A office accommodation, designed to attract new businesses to the city and essential to the rejuvenation of the area, which forms an important gateway to the new St James development.
The intention is to start work on site in early 2016.
Forth Road Bridge Closure
4 Dec – The Forth Road Bridge is to shut until the New Year for repairs following the discovery of defective steelwork. The decision to close has been taken after inspections carried out by specialist engineers and following advice and assessment of the fault by independent experts. A range of options for carrying out the repair work has been considered including running traffic on the bridge while repair work is in progress.
Forth Road Bridge
Forth Road Crossing Education Centre
4 Dec – One of the UK’s leading infrastructure firms today announced it has engaged with over 12,000 youngsters this year in an attempt to bolster numbers entering the construction industry. Robertson Group, which has 18 companies within its portfolio, will celebrate its achievement at 1pm today at a Get into Engineering awards ceremony in Glasgow – organised in conjunction with Clyde Gateway and University of West of Scotland.
Forth Bridge Replacement
Hearts Stadium Expansion News
4 Dec – Hearts announce plans to redevelop its Tynecastle stadium and turn it into a 20,000-plus capacity stadium in time for the 2017-18 season: Hearts Stadium New Main Stand
The Festival of Architecture 2016 Launch
2 Dec – The Festival of Architecture 2016 launched this morning on Calton Hill, photos by Adrian Welch.
RIAS Secretary Neil Baxter introduced the event – in the circular Observatory space on Calton Hill due to be redeveloped by Collective (architects) for the Collective Gallery – and explained a little about the Festival of Architecture 2016 ambitions:
David Dunbar PPRIAS, chair of the Festival of Architecture, then spoke briefly about the intention of the event, that it isn’t for and about architects ‘stroking their chins in a darkened room’:
NVA Creative Director Angus Farquhar spoke next about the Cardross Seminary project and the event that will take place there in March 2016:
Finally photos were taken out by the National Monument of local schoolchildren gathered at The Hut, a touring project by Adrian Wisniewski (Scottish artist and member of the “New Glasgow Boys” and brother of Edinburgh architect Dorian Wisniewski):
Scottish Poetry Library Extension
image courtesy of Eddie Phillips Lighthouse Photography
1 Dec – Scotland based fit-out contractor Morris & Spottiswood has completed a £380k redevelopment project to help transform Edinburgh’s Scottish Poetry Library Building.
Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre, Heriot-Watt Edinburgh Campus
Design by Reiach and Hall Architects
image courtesy of architects
Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre
New School Dining Hall Designs
23 Nov – Images have been unveiled showcasing the new facilities set to be built at four Edinburgh schools to cater for the roll-out of free school meals, reports the Edinburgh Evening News. Under plans lodged today, Cramond, East Craigs, Towerbank and Sciennes primary schools will all get new halls to allow them to safely seat their pupils together during meal times.
East Craigs Primary School:
Towerbank Primary School:
Sciennes Primary School:
Cramond Primary School:
Link: New Edinburgh School Dining Hall Designs
Scotch Whisky Association HQ
photo from developers
18 Nov – The Scotch Whisky Association’s new bespoke and contemporary HQ at Quartermile 2 has been completed, providing the Association with a workspace fitting of an industry enjoying worldwide success.
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Creative Laboratories Building
photos © Keith Hunter
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
8 Nov – info + photos of this strikingly bold building in Newhaven
Edinburgh Building Photos
14 Oct – images of key new buildings around the capital city:
Edinburgh Academy pavilion building:
Kinnear Road flats:
Shrub Place building:
Portobello school building:
Haddington House Extension Photos
14 Oct – images of the three lighting conditions in this kitchen extension: rolling diary of black timber house extension in East Lothian.
Cockenzie Power Station
28 + 26 Sep – photos of the Cockenzie Power Station Chimneys Demolition taken from the outlet pipe at Gosford Bay. The twin chimneys and the turbine hall were demolished at 12 noon on 26 September:
Cockenzie Power Station chimney demolition on YouTube
ARCHIVE
Liberton High School Sports Hall Extension
30 Nov – Ashwood has commenced work on a £2.25m sports hall extension at Liberton High School, Edinburgh, incorporating an enlarged gym and dance hall as well as new changing rooms, reports Urban Realm.
Craigmillar Homes
27 Nov – CCG and EDI Group PARC Craigmillar have submitted proposals for 121 terraced and flatted homes at Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh, reports Urban Realm.
Royal High School Building
30 Nov – Developers behind the £75m hotel development at Edinburgh’s historic Royal High School Building are claiming public backing for the project following a survey of local residents, reports Urban Realm. A total of 5,000 people across 12 city wards were quizzed on the plans, the fourth such consultation to be carried out since the project began, with 93% agreed that a hotel was a suitable end-use and 92% backing the proposed Hoskins Architects design. Comments welcome.
Departure at Ocean Terminal
30 Nov – ‘Departure’, first show at Ocean Terminal: Established in 2013, Interview Room 11 is an artist-led gallery based in Edinburgh. For the past three years they ran a gallery space at the Argyle House, the 60s brutalist office building and former job centre in the heart of Edinburgh, as part of Forest Center Plus with studios and working facilities for over 80 artists.
Shaping Scotland: The Festival of Architecture 2016 Strategy
30 Nov – An interesting description of the various events and concepts within the Festival of Architecture 2016:
http://www.academia.edu/10058838/Shaping_Scotland_The_Festival_of_Architecture_2016_Strategy
In Edinburgh (page 54-) two major international exhibitions are described, centrepieces of the Festival of Architecture 2016 to be staged in central Edinburgh and the National Portrait Gallery: Cities Expo and Portraits Placed (how architects’ lives and their work are connected and have helped to shape Scotland’s towns and cities). The former is due to take the shape of a pavilion (possibly in Festival Square or on The Mound), designed by the winner of an architectural competition. The Cities Expo would showcase up to 20 international cities, ie 20 small pavilions.
“Our ambition is to work with our partners in other built environment organisations, with our museums and galleries and with the many agencies whose mission is to show the best of what Scotland can offer. Together we aim to transform Scotland’s relationship with its built environment towards a whole new level of appreciation, understanding – and fun!“
The RIAS link: http://www.rias.org.uk/events/festival-of-architecture-2016/
Old Town Closes News
30 Nov – Edinburgh World Heritage, in partnership with Napier University and the city council, is to give 12 Old Town closes a lighting focussed makeover including new artwork and public realm enhancements. In a demonstration of the £380k project the organisation has prepared a demonstration installation outside its Bakehouse Close base to illustrate how considered lighting design can encourage greater pedestrian use.
Pentland Studios Straiton News
27 Nov – Developers behind plans to create a £140m film and television studio development in Midlothian have requested that the Scottish Government call-in their application for consideration claiming the council is taking too long to make a decision, reports Construction News Scotland.
Scottish International Studios claimed the local authority’s planning committee failed to decide on the campus set for soon to be delisted greenfield land to the west of the A701 at Straiton within their stated time frame.
Comprised of sound stages, a substantial backlot complex, employment land, hotel, power plant, film school and student accommodation, the new development would occupy 86 acres of land between the planned A701 bypass and the current road.
New ADP Edinburgh Architecture Studio
26 Nov – ADP has opened a studio in Edinburgh to take advantage of growing confidence in Scotland after securing university commissions for Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt, reports Construction News Scotland. The practice has 8 offices including one in Glasgow:
http://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/9561/architecture-firm-adp-opens-new-edinburgh-studio/?utm_source=Scottish+Construction+Now&utm_campaign=68900f1e8e-SCN_26_11_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_da4310d8ed-68900f1e8e-66766861
Scottish builders demand equal housing commitment
26 + 25 Nov – Scottish builders demand equal housing commitment as Osborne doubles budget to support 400,000 extra new homes by end of decade.
As George Osborne today announced what he described as the biggest home building programme since the 1970s to help tackle the “growing crisis of home ownership” in England, Scottish builders immediately called for an equal commitment on housing north of the border.
Philip Hogg, Chief Executive of trade body Homes for Scotland (HFS), said:
“Whilst we are still absorbing the detail of the Chancellor’s announcement, its sentiment is absolutely clear: to back those who aspire to buy their own home. And the fact of the matter is that, as the Scottish Government’s own research shows, this aspiration applies equally to the majority of Scots. Supporting this ambition by stimulating private sector construction will bring wide-ranging benefits, including boosting affordable housing delivery through the direct contribution our industry makes in this area via planning policy.
“The Chancellor has also maintained his commitment to the successful Help to Buy scheme to 2021 and introduced a new tailored version specifically for London. This is in marked contrast to the position here where the announced successor to the Scottish Government’s scheme faces budget reductions of up to 50% and will likely be less accessible to buyers.
“We further note the Chancellor’s intent to remove constraints to allow all sectors to play a role in affordable housing delivery as well as his support for SME home builders on planning and finance, something HFS has been in discussions with the Scottish Government on for many months.
“With Scotland facing the same challenges as elsewhere in the UK, we therefore call on the Scottish Government to broaden the balance of its approach to housing delivery and place equal emphasis on having enough homes of all tenures in the right places to meet the diverse housing needs and aspirations of all those living in Scotland.”
Dundee Post Office Art Centre News
25 Nov – A planning submission has been made for a centre of excellence for performing and visual arts on the site of Dundee’s former Head Post Office designed by PagePark Architects, reports Construction News Scotland.
New Edinburgh Village
25 Nov – Plans for a new 1500-home village at Riccarton in Edinburgh with shops, a school, and a dedicated transport hub have been unveiled by developers, reports Construction News Scotland. The huge Wallace Land project on a greenbelt site north of Currie were revealed at a recent community meeting.
Construction would be phased over 5 to 15 years. The proposals have not yet been submitted for planning approval, as the site is not currently within the city’s Local Development Plan, a blueprint of where homes will be built over the next 10 years.
Edinburgh is required by the Scottish Government to build 32,064 homes by 2024, with the draft Local Development Plan earmarking sites at Cammo and Maybury for house building while rejecting proposals from David Murray for a “Garden District” near the airport.
Canmore
Historic Environment Scotland is a new body created by the merger of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS in 2015. In the next couple of years the Canmore database will be drastically overhauled, resulting in a far better public interface and functionality.
Edinburgh Tram Expansion
23 Nov – councillors in Edinburgh have agreed that the city’s tram line should be extended by three miles to reach Newhaven at a projected cost of £145m, reports Construction News Scotland.
SSA 2015 Design Awards
23 Nov – Entries are now being accepted for the Stirling Society of Architects 2015 Awards.
With the introduction of some new awards this year, categories for the SSA 2015 Design Awards are as follows;
1) Best Building
2) Best Extension
3) Best Building Outwith the Chapter Area by a Chapter Member
4) President’s Student Award – (£100 Prize for winner)
5) Wood for Good Award – (£250 Prize for winner)
If you would like to submit an entry, please contact Chapter Secretary Louise Fields at [email protected]
Entries close 27th November 2015.
Old College Law School, University of Edinburgh
23 Nov – Graham Construction has been awarded the £18m contract to complete the refurbishment of Edinburgh Law School. Work on the Old College Law School Refurbishment Project will begin on 23 Nov 2015 and see Graham onsite at the South Bridge-based campus until winter 2017/18, reports Construction News Scotland. As part of the refurbishment programme, many of the original features of the Grade A-listed Old College building will be retained.
A key part of the project will be the creation of a new quadrant library located to the west of the Old College building. Edinburgh Law School, including the current library, is being relocated to the David Hume Tower to allow the work to take place and to ensure there is minimum disruption on campus.
Interview Room 11 at Ocean Terminal in Leith
20 Nov – Established in 2013, Interview Room 11 is an artist-led gallery based in Edinburgh, Scotland. For the past three years we ran a gallery space at the Argyle House, a 60s brutalist office building and former job centre in the heart of Edinburgh, as part of Forest Center Plus with studios and working facilities for over 80 artists.
Hydro Arena Wins At Structural Awards
17 Nov – Award for SSE Hydro by Foster + Partners with Arup
Retrofitting Traditional Buildings: Principles and Practice
12 Nov – Addressing energy efficiency is fast becoming one of the most pressing issues in older, traditionally-constructed buildings, particularly with the advent of finance streams such as Green Deal, ECO and the forthcoming RHI. This half-day seminar will outline current research, emerging best practice and case studies in the field of upgrading traditional and historic buildings: see the events page for more details
Kings Stables Road Development
10 Nov – Peveril Securities is on the verge of submitting plans for a mixed use scheme at Edinburgh’s Kings Stables Road.
The plans, which are expected to go in before the end of the month, will involve the creation of new homes, student housing and a hotel on the site of a former stables, reports Construction News Scotland.
Architects Fletcher Joseph will seek to frame views of the Castle by re-establishing historic building lines whilst creating an active street frontage along King’s Stables Road itself.
Buildings will be arranged around a series of courtyards and closes to enhance permeability with consideration given to the likely future demolition of Argyle House to form part of a wider master plan.
Key changes since the initial application include incorporation of Silk nightclub to the master plan area, enabling a reduction in overall massing and an extension to the central courtyard.
Edmonstone Estate Development
9 Nov – A planning application has been lodged by Sheratan Ltd to build housing, a new primary school and a long talked about park for Edinburgh, reports Construction News Scotland. The area, covering c. 170 acres at the Edmonstone Estate in Little France, will be masterplanned to maximise the benefits to the South East of the City.
Perth City Hall Demolition Abandoned
6 Nov – Perth and Kinross Council confirmed it has formally withdrawn its listed building application to tear down the iconic Edwardian building. The surprise announcement comes just weeks after councillors backed a plan to convert the hall into a food market, reports Construction News Scotland. But a council spokeswoman said that the planning application had been scrapped for technical reasons, rather than anything more significant. Perth Market Place Ltd has been given until the New Year to prove its project is financially sound. The market plan was backed by councillors ahead of a separate proposal to turn the building into a hotel.
Royal High School Preservation Trust
6 Nov – In September the Royal High School Preservation Trust (RHSPT) declared its intent to pursue plans to move St Mary’s Music School into the famous neoclassical Thomas Hamilton buildings on Calton Hill, reports Richard Murphy Architects.
Backed by the philanthropic Dunard Fund, the Trust has made a formal legal offer to buy the iconic building and appointed Richard Murphy to develop designs to restore the site as a school, alongside conservation architects Simpson & Brown, as well as create new buildings on the site. The Trust now intends to submit a detailed and fully funded application to the City of Edinburgh Council.
Highlands Housing Development
6 Nov – Robertson Homes has unveiled plans to complete the restoration of Gleann Mor House, the listed fire damaged building at its Westercraigs Development in Inverness, to create 26 luxury townhouses and 30 executive apartments. The £13m proposal, submitted to Highland Council last week, would create over 100 local jobs, with Robertson keen to recruit a variety of skills for this development project, thought to be one of the most complex in the city’s recent history.
Caer Amon Housing
5 Nov – Work is progressing on site at Cramond on the last section of the Caer Amon Housing Development for AMA Ltd. An octagon of terraced housing by Richard Murphy Architects forms a gateway to the development which features, courtyards, apartments and individual houses – many arranged around shared courtyards. This last section is expected to be completed in May 2016.
West Burn Lane, St Andrews Scoops UK’s Richest Architecture Prize
photo © Keith Hunter
4 Nov 2015 – West Burn Lane, St Andrews by Sutherland Hussey Harris has been awarded the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award for 2015. From a shortlist of twelve projects, all winners of RIAS Awards for 2015 (presented in June 2015), the judges selected West Burn Lane as a clear winner.
The award was presented at a ceremony at the National Museum of Scotland (Doolan Award winner for 2011) by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Ms Fiona Hyslop MSP alongside Mrs Margaret Doolan Hon FRIAS (the late Andrew Doolan’s mother).
The judges felt that two projects merited a Special Mention:
– Arcadia Nursery, Edinburgh by Malcolm Fraser Architects
– Laurieston Transformational Area, Glasgow by PagePark Architects and Elder and Cannon Architects
Edinburgh Academy Rugby Pavilion News
5 Nov – Work is progressing at a pace at Edinburgh Academy on the Rugby Pavilion, which is due for completion early next year. The Rugby Pavilion project follows on from Richard Murphy Architects’ recent completion of the Hockey Pavilion, a new Nursery School and six new classrooms at the Junior School.
JCT Student Competition
JCT are giving away £1,000 for your construction idea.
Studying in a construction related course?
Need to improve your CV and increase your job prospects?
All you have to do is give JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) a good idea that can solve one of the challenges facing the industry today. You can present your idea in any way you wish, e.g. essay, video, photographic essay, set of designs, drawings, as long as the idea is good, the presentation is up to you.
Link: http://www.jctltd.co.uk/students.aspx
BT Rugby Academy Work
4 Nov – Edinburgh Napier University’s £2.5m rugby academy extension by Smith Scott Mullan Associates starts on site, reports Construction News Scotland. The two-storey development at the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy will host a multi-use strength and conditioning gym, rehabilitation space and studio research facility. As well as providing the academy players with a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art gym and rehab spaces – including a 30 metre running track on the ground floor – a second-level studio facility will provide an area where students and academic staff can undertake research projects.
Willowbank Road Building
4 Nov – Planning officials have given the green light for a student accommodation development with 221 rooms in Aberdeen, reports Construction News Scotland. Crucible Alba will develop the Michael Laird Architects-designed facility on the site of McConechy’s Garage on Willowbank Road. The building, which will have its main entrance on Willowbank Road, will have 44 flats across four storeys and will include a cafe, games facility and “breakout” room.
Midlothian arts and theatre complex
4 Nov – Midlothian Council is to work with partner agencies to improve its funding bid for a £6.5 million arts and theatre complex centre at the award-winning National Mining Museum Scotland, reports Construction News Scotland. At a full council meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to pursue the project, which would create the first theatre in the county for 100 years, despite being turned down for a grant by the government.
Edinburgh Architectural News 2015 – August, September & October 2015
Architecture in Lothian
Edinburgh Architecture News 2016
Comments for the Edinburgh Architecture News for 2015 page welcome