Architect vows 'contextual' Old Town rebuild

Published on Saturday 17 May 2003 01:00

ONE of the country’s leading architects yesterday pledged that buildings destroyed in Edinburgh’s Old Town fire would be replaced with "simple, modern and contextual architecture enclosing a central square and incorporating historic closes".

Malcolm Fraser revealed his vision for the renewal of the site which was devastated by fire in December, and said he had no intention of building a "grand gesture" or a monument to the past.

Last year’s Scottish Architect of the Year and the designer of the award-winning Dance Base building, said that the replacement would involve both traditional stone masonry as well as more modern elements and glass to allow lots of light into the site.

The heart of the new development, which is expected to be the same height as its predecessor, will be defined by a central square, from which there will fan out a series of new closes and broad steps linking the site to the Cowgate and surrounding streets.

The replacement plans were revealed as Edinburgh City Council officially handed back the site to a development company formed by the owners of the Cowgate site.

But although plans for the redevelopment have moved on rapidly in the five months since the fire, it also emerged that a prominent player in the development consortium, Edinburgh University, has yet to sign up, possibly hindering further progress.

Speaking on behalf of the development consortium, Mr Fraser denied the university’s absence would delay the development, although he conceded its involvement was necessary to proceed with the project.

He said: "The primary thing is to get the owners to work together and that is where all our energies have so far been directed. We must ensure that they do not all pull in different directions and if something of worth is going to be built here then it has to be done in co-operation. We think the owners are very close indeed in achieving agreement on how to move forward.

"Edinburgh University is still outside of the group, but there is general hope that they will feel it is appropriate to start working with the rest of the owners on the site soon. The university is a different and much larger organisation and, quite rightly, they have wanted to watch and see whether this disparate group of rather smaller organisations can actually work together.

"I am completely happy with that and I think that the rest of the owners are confident that once the rest of the owners see them acting in a responsible fashion and moving forward then they very much hope to see the university joining them."

He added: "As an architect, you know that the best projects happen because the groundwork has been prepared well and this is all essential preparation with which I am very pleased."

A spokesman for Edinburgh University said they still had issues to resolve from their relocation before they could commit to the development.

He said: "We are currently in discussions with the council and representatives of the other owners to progress finalisation of demolition costs and handback of the site to the owners.

"Thereafter, when insurance issues and operational implications arising from our business relocation plans are clarified, we will be able to determine the way ahead."

Martin Hulse, the director of the Cockburn Association, said: "It is fantastic that Malcolm Fraser is involved. The South Bridge elevation must be stone. South Bridge is down on its knees and this needs to be the catalyst."