October 31 2024

Architecture practice Fletcher Joseph Associates has submitted plans to redevelop their Edinburgh headquarters as a new flatted development on behalf of a pension fund.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Morningside the single-storey backcourt structure at 5 Millar Place is to be demolished and replaced by four mews-style apartments, each with access to a private roof terrace.

The revised residential-only scheme succeeds approved plans for a mixed office and housing scheme and subsequent proposals (later withdrawn) to extend upwards. The current proposals adhere to the same general footprint of the approved scheme but again seek to introduce an extra floor to the western end.

Outlining the changes the architects wrote: "The revised proposals generally preserve the footprint and massing of the original consent, subject to the introduction of an additional storey at the west end of the block which was proposed in the most recent application.

"These have now been modified to introduce a pitched roof and natural stone to the main frontage to mitigate the contemporary nature and respect the character of the street and adjacent mews properties. The internal layouts have also been reorganised to avoid previously identified privacy issues."

The current design approach incorporates a natural stone base and a lighter zinc upper floor, split in two to reduce apparent massing. The site will also be partially excavated to keep the roof line as low as possible. 

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Robert on 31 Oct 2024 at 10:57 AM

Let’s hope the planners refuse this as well. The grey stone looks awful against a backdrop of lovely red sandstone tenements, and does not fit in with its surroundings or the wider Morningside area.

#2 Posted by Ed on 1 Nov 2024 at 11:24 AM

Very cheerful. Perhaps, however... they could have taken more inspiration from The Wild West, off Springvalley Gardens? Or a post-apocalyptic theme? Better than this.

#3 Posted by alibi on 4 Nov 2024 at 19:49 PM

Not sure why the walls in the visualisations are grey, which don't do the proposals any favours. The elevation drawings specify the materials as buff facing brick, natural stone to match existing context, natural slate to the roof, and grey cladding/ detailing.

#4 Posted by pog mo thoin on 5 Nov 2024 at 17:47 PM

Again it is unfortunate that this and + so many architects proposals omit from their design palette the sensitive component of 'architectural scale.'

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