Edinburgh Futures Institute
Awarded UNESCO Prix de Versailles Laureate as one of the World’s Most Beautiful Campuses 2024.
Edinburgh Futures Institute is one of six recently developed university buildings serving creativity, reflection of local heritage and ecological efficiency, that has been recognised as leaving an extraordinary imprint on its environment.
The Prix de Versailles Award pays tribute to innovation, creativity, reflections of local heritage, ecological efficiency and the values of social interaction and participation, which the United Nations holds in high regard.
Client
The University of Edinburgh
Project Description
Edinburgh Futures Institute is the University of Edinburgh’s restoration and development of a category-A listed former hospital into the state-of-the-art new school and flagship facility in the city’s Central Campus.
Ironside Farrar have delivered an award-winning design for the campus, creating new city centre events spaces and setting for Graduations, Ceremonies and Festival activities. Located in the Quartermile area of the city and in the heart of the University’s central ‘Town & Gown’ campus, the Edinburgh Futures Institute’s externals & surrounds are a hub for university students, academic staff and wider city residents.
The compact city centre site presented challenging topography, highly sensitive and important trees to protect & retain and barriers to inclusive access.
The original main entrance has been restored and given a new and accessible street level connection/ dramatic building setting through the creation of a new public square built over a new 450-seat event space below.
Formal lawns have been established to give a simple green foreground to building frontage, forming attractive Quads either side of the new square. Paths through sedum embankments connect to street level. Improved public access and new sense of welcome in the external environment help accomplish the Futures Institute’s ambition to offer an open relationship with students, the city and visitors.
Key Features
- State-of-the-art learning environment to foster interdisciplinary research and innovation.
- New externals for restored and re-purposed Category A-listed Victorian building
- Design response carefully combining the contemporary and the traditional
- Creative solutions to a compact site and challenging topography
- Quads and public spaces providing attractive settings for outdoor use, activity and events, including Edinburgh Book Festival 2024
- Sensitive landscape approach appropriate to a historically rich urban area
- Thorough response to Conservation Area and Tree Protection Orders
- Introduction of new urban greenspaces, building local biodiversity and quality amenity spaces
- Success through engagement with stakeholders and future users.
Role
- Landscape Architect working within Multidisciplinary Team lead by Bennetts Associates Architects and Atkins Realis Project Management.
Services
- RIBA 0-7 Concept Design to Completion
- External Works (Hardworks & Softworks)
- Consenting and Approvals (World Heritage Site/Conservation Area/ Listed Building Consent/ Building Warrants/Tree Protection)
- Accessibility Audits & Integrated Design Solutions
- Urban Arboriculture
- Sustainability & Biodiversity Net Gain
- Construction support
Awards
- Prix de Versailles Laureate: World’s Most Beautiful Campuses 2024
For more information please contact: Janet Pope
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