Meadowbank Stadium ‘gateway’ build emerges
August 10 2017
Described as an ‘exciting new gateway development’ the project calls for the creation of 33 flats within a six storey block with smaller windows and recessed galleries addressing London Road with larger openings and po-out blaconies taking advantage of south facing views on Clockmill Lane.
In their design statement Open remarked: “Primary outer walls are buff coloured multi-tonal facing brick, relieved by detailing such as soldier coursing running at floor levels the length of the building and hit and miss brick pattern panels on the front façade adding different textures. This detailing will create subtle variation and richness on the façade whilst providing a strong but simple background from which balconies can protrude and galleries can recede.
“On the north facade addressing London Road, this treatment provides a variety of enclosure and privacy to each gallery flat entrance. Behind and above the brick, walls are dark grey metal cladding; still robust but acting as lighter inner skin."
Meeting London Road with a robust boundary wall the scheme will include tiered communal gardens with amenity lawns to the rear.
Communal landscaped grounds will be situated to the rear
The residential block seeks to establish an urban edge to London Road
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5 Comments
#1 Posted by Stevie Steve on 10 Aug 2017 at 13:29 PM
Boring..... Not impressed. Why does every new cheap development need to be clad in brick these days?
#2 Posted by Nick C on 11 Aug 2017 at 13:26 PM
I fail to see how a block of flats can be described as representing a 'gateway'?! More darkness cast from a tall tower on the south side of the street hardly enlivens the local vibe...not sure about this one at all...
#3 Posted by Daniel on 11 Aug 2017 at 14:43 PM
The lack of close-ups doesn't exactly inspire confidence about the design, does it?
I do think this highlights a real issue though, in Edinburgh and in other cities. Most of these big arterial routes have very low value / low density current uses, and have decent public transport accessibility. Gorgie Road past Murryfield Sainsburys is another example.
In planning terms they're great opportunities for intensification, but it really really needs some kind of public-sector led intervention programme, to calm and reduce the traffic, activate the spaces at street-level, and to create, you know, an actual neighbourhood.
But instead all we're getting are these bits of disconnected speculative redevelopment with none of those things attached. At worst, the proposals ignore the main road, and you can absolutely see why. At best, you get places like this, with ground floor residences along polluted, loud and unpleasant main roads. Is that really what we want?
I do think this highlights a real issue though, in Edinburgh and in other cities. Most of these big arterial routes have very low value / low density current uses, and have decent public transport accessibility. Gorgie Road past Murryfield Sainsburys is another example.
In planning terms they're great opportunities for intensification, but it really really needs some kind of public-sector led intervention programme, to calm and reduce the traffic, activate the spaces at street-level, and to create, you know, an actual neighbourhood.
But instead all we're getting are these bits of disconnected speculative redevelopment with none of those things attached. At worst, the proposals ignore the main road, and you can absolutely see why. At best, you get places like this, with ground floor residences along polluted, loud and unpleasant main roads. Is that really what we want?
#4 Posted by David on 11 Aug 2017 at 14:49 PM
Nick C, in fact, let's remove all buildings from the south side of every street. Can't have them blocking out the sun.
ps - what tower?
ps - what tower?
#5 Posted by StyleCouncil on 12 Aug 2017 at 16:14 PM
The term 'Gateway' is used on sites where there are no buildings, history of buildings or occasionally no designation for site development at all..but the developer/ arch hope to curry favour by branding the proposal as an (usually non-existent) urban opportunity to frame/ define a city edge. Architectural BS in other words.
The world of low quality commercial architecture and urban design is full of such crap, invented justifications.
It would be good to see what this building actually looks like....!
The world of low quality commercial architecture and urban design is full of such crap, invented justifications.
It would be good to see what this building actually looks like....!
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