Social Housing, Cowgate

The Cowgate is one of the few locations within Edinburgh where it is possible to conceive of buildings of some considerable height. There already exist, in this area, examples of both 19th and 20th Century buildings of up to nine storeys.

This design makes three distinct roofed buildings of decreasing height from west to east. A nine storey building on the corner of Old Fishmarket Close and the Cowgate, a middle tower rising to seven floors, with a mono-pitched roof sloping in such a manner as to allow light past it into the Tron Square, and to the east, five storeys acting as a 'bookend' to the entire development. In between these three towers are two flat roof sections each containing roof gardens. In this way the development is broken down into the appearance of three individual buildings.

The bulk of the development south of Tron Square is four storeys high with office accommodation existing on the lower two floors and housing on the two floors above. The roof of the four storey block is devoted to three gardens. Two private gardens to maisonettes at the eastern end of the development and one communal garden which is accessible to all the residents in the eastern-most common stair.