Upper Strand Property, Waterfront Edinburgh Apartments, Lothian Flats Photo, Architect Design
Upper Strand Granton, Edinburgh
Housing by Waterfront Edinburgh / Places for People / The Burrell, Scotland, UK, design by Reiach and Hall + Elder & Cannon
post updated 3 July 2023
Upper Strand, Phase 1, Granton Waterfront
Design: Reiach and Hall Architects / Elder & Cannon Architects
Tower viewed from southeast and south:
images © Adrian Welch using lumix camera 6 Dec 2016
Upper Strand Granton
Upper Strand, Phase 1, Granton Waterfront, Edinburgh : Scottish Design Awards 2007 – Regeneration + Residential Shortlist
Comment by Adrian Welch:
Stark white brick modelling of form, deep punched apertures and defined frame make this housing unusual for Scotland. The gentle rhythm of punched windows on the flank elevation to the east have been seen before – very fashionable – but the sculpted stepped back tower is unusual and thought-provoking. the fenestration on the west flank is composed from elegant vertical strips. Towards the top of the tower the form modifies and steps back in an elegant way.
Tower viewed from west; streetscape looking north; blurred Tower detail:
images © Adrian Welch 061216
Criticised for being too stark this mass of white and grey sticks out a mile in this windswept landscape. Someone should plant some trees. But once the density increases of course this building will soften. At present it looks a little lost. On the four occasions I’ve stopped by in the last year it has always been blowing an icy wind on this ‘raised beach’ (strand is norse / danish for beach) which makes me feel that the microclimate needs sorting whether by planting or additional/variant modellling of the built environment.
Just like Westport did a few years back this building utilises an intelligently-modelled elevation – neither the old ‘form follows function’ nor the recent fad for surface architecture and instant icon. I’ve not been inside the building yet but the impression externally is of a clever building that is in need of some fairly dense neighbours!
Almost a decade ago Charles McKean suggested the white rendered Moderne of Coalhill by Allan Murray Architects represented a positive new expression of Scottish architecture. With Caer Amon and Upper Strand completing in the coming months, and recent housing by Malcolm Fraser Architects (modelled in black) and gm+ad architects (modelled in brick) all in Edinburgh it would surely be fair to say that Scottish residential architecture is refreshingly wide-ranging in style. This eclecticism is in my view healthy and encourages both discourse and a better end result, not to mention a wider choice.
building photos © Adrian Welch, Sep 2006
Whether this range of contemporary residential architecture will prove popular with buyers – witness the quick sales of the traditional terrace at Caer Amon compared to the contemporary properties – is debatable. But eventually it appears developers and housing suppliers are turning the corner and it can’t be too long before more of the public – especially young urbanites – desire a range of ‘contemporary’ properties that match the feel of their ‘contemporary’ cars.
Views welcome: info(at)edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
“I like the lower four storey ‘affordable’ housing element. The stark aesthetic works well here unlike the taller block which really needs the irregular form to be palatable. It contrasts dramatically with the lower block which is redolent of early modernism with the touchy feely romantic twist of the lincrusta cast plinth.” Gordon Duffy, Studio DuB
Granton Strand – main page
Images released to Edinburgh Architecture 240505 by The Burrell Company:
Granton Strand, Waterfront, north Edinburgh, Scotland
The Upper Strand architects are Reiach and Hall. This architects practice is based in central Edinburgh, in the New Town off Moray Place.
Developers: The Places for People Group & The Burrell Company
Architects: Reiach and Hall Architects + Elder and Cannon Architects + Ushida Findlay Architects
Upper Strand Property
Apartment tower images provided from Burrell Company Jul 2005
Granton Strand: image provided by Reiach and Hall Architects
image provided by Saltire Awards 08 Nov 2008
Upper Strand : Scottish Design Awards 2006 – Proposed Place Making Award
Architects Commendation
Granton Building Designs
Contemporary Granton Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:
Scottish Capital Building Designs
Contemporary Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:
Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project
image courtesy of EHDP
Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project
Rowanbank Gardens Edinburgh Property
image courtesy of Artisan Real Estate
Rowanbank Gardens Edinburgh Housing
Comments / photos for the Upper Strand Granton property design by Reiach and Hall Architects, Edinburgh, and Elder & Cannon Architects, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, page welcome