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Six-strong shortlist vie for prestige Edinburgh concert hall

Six-strong shortlist vie for prestige Edinburgh concert hall

January 31 2017

The International Music and Performing Arts Charitable Trust (IMPACT) has whittled down 69 expressions of interest to arrive at a shortlist of six architect-led design teams to build a multi-purpose arts centre to the rear of Dundas House on St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh.

Adjaye Associates, Allies & Morrison, Barozzi Veiga, David Chipperfield, KPMB and Richard Murphy are amongst the high-profile names vying to secure the prestige project, centerpiece of which will be a 1,000-seat auditorium.

The complex will also include a rehearsal studio, recital and recording space to accommodate all forms of music and dance ensembles.

Sir Ewan Brown, chair of IMPACT's judging panel, said, "We have an extremely strong shortlist to choose from. The submissions we received show that this project will transform the resource available to Edinburgh's Festivals and provide new opportunities for music groups across Scotland by building for greater inclusivity and access."

The open competition is being organized by Colander with a winner to be announced in early April.

Shortlisted practices in alphabetical order:
•   Adjaye Associates (London) with Sandy Brown, Buro Happold and DHA Designs
•   Allies & Morrison (London) with Charcoalblue, Speirs & Major, Harrison Stevens and Buro Happold
•   Barozzi Veiga (Switzerland) with Alan Baxter, Max Fordham, KahleAcoustics, 3DReid and Ian White Associates
•   David Chipperfield Architects (London) with Arup, Whitby Mohajer Engineers, GROSS MAX and Theatre Projects
•   KPMB Architects (Toronto) with Simpson & Brown Architects, David Narro Associates, Arup, Sound Space Vision, rankinfraser landscape architecture and Transsolar Energietechnik
•   Richard Murphy Architects (Edinburgh) with Arup, Graven Images, GROSS MAX and Montagu Evans

9 Comments

#1 Posted by Bill S on 31 Jan 2017 at 14:05 PM

Great shortlist, I really hope David Chipperfield are chosen.

#2 Posted by Trumper on 31 Jan 2017 at 14:22 PM

interesting to see the consultants that have prostituted themselves in multiple teams.

Nothing like nailing your colours to the mast guys

#3 Posted by Cadmonkey on 31 Jan 2017 at 19:47 PM

Trumpet
What is wrong with a supporting technical consultant being part of more than one team?

#4 Posted by E=mc2 on 31 Jan 2017 at 20:50 PM

The issue I have is that half they time they tell you they will run exclusively then you find out later they didn't. The truth will always out

#5 Posted by E=mc2 on 31 Jan 2017 at 20:51 PM

Be great to see DCA or Allies & Morrison deliver a quality product here however

#6 Posted by Basho on 31 Jan 2017 at 23:05 PM

I just think this is an odd location for this project. Another site, not so laden with A listed architecture, would have given more design freedom. As it is, with the World Heritage posse and Historic Scotland breathing down their necks, any design team is going to be constrained from the start.
I think putting it in the New Waverley or Haymarket schemes would have seen a genuinely bold result. As it is, if Barozzi Viega are chosen, the heritage lobby will collectively implode.

#7 Posted by Tony Allison on 1 Feb 2017 at 10:44 AM

Would have been nice if more than 1 Scottish Firm was in the running, what with it being in the Capital, and the fact that those firms outwith Scotland have had to whore themselves out to Scottish Firms regardless!!