Dome to rise on fire site in £40m tribute to architectural genius

Published on Thursday 17 August 2006 02:12

A GLASS dome inspired by the works of the architect Robert Adam will be the landmark feature of a £40 million development in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town.

Whiteburn Projects, the company behind the Cowgate Development, has unveiled a computer-generated image of what it hopes the proposed scheme will look like when completed in 2009.

The development on the corner of Chambers Street and South Bridge will replace some of the former Fringe venue the Gilded Balloon, which was devastated by a fire in December 2002.

The dome, designed by award-winning Edinburgh architect Allan Murray, has been inspired by the great domes of Robert Adam's original plans for the Old College and Register House.

"This image illustrates the glass dome forming a new feature on the important corner of Chambers Street and South Bridge," Mr Murray said.

"This is not only a contemporary response to the French mansard roof that was demolished on the same building by the 1920s, but it is also inspired by the great domes of Robert Adam's original design for the Old College and Register House in Edinburgh."

The former tenement site, which will feature a variety of new uses, such as a hotel, serviced apartments, art gallery, shops, restaurants and bars, is set to become the linchpin of a new vibrant city district called SoCo after its proximity to South Bridge and the Cowgate.

"It will become one of the most dramatic hotel spaces in the city and a wonderful addition to the Old Town," Mr Murray said.

Whiteburn Projects officially took ownership of the development last month, following 18 months of complex negotiations with the site's eight owners.

The Edinburgh-based company is now in talks with a number of hotel operators to occupy the 12,000sq m site, which lies in the heart of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site and Old Town.

A planning application is expected to be submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council later this year, with the development set to be completed within three years.

John Shepherd, the chief executive of Whiteburn, said: "It's obviously a site that has generated enormous public interest since the sad demise of the former buildings, and we'll want to leave no stone unturned in ensuring we've reached the right solution."

Mr Shepherd added: "Our marketing is now fully under way and we have had strong interest from several leading hotel operators.

"We're also keen, if we can, to establish a public venue such as a gallery, festival fringe spot, concert space or specialist cinema, as part of the wider redevelopment."

Before the fire, the site was home to a host of retail outlets, offices, pubs and venues, including the Gilded Balloon comedy venue, Bridge Jazz Bar, La Belle Angle nightclub, Leisureland amusement arcade and the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics.