5 of the best restorations of Edinburgh's historic buildings

The restoration of five historic buildings in Edinburgh - from a church to a swimming pool, an old railway station and an ale store, have won the praise of heritage chiefs.

Historic Environment Scotland said the projects to bring the buildings back into use both reinforced local identity and reduced impact on the planet by re-using what was already there.

The heritage body picked five “insprational” redevelopments from across the capital to illustrate the success of sensitive reimagining of old sites.

The first is Newhaven Free Church in Pier Place which was transformed into Alien Rock Climbing Centre - Scotland’s first - back in 1994.

The Gothic church opened in 1852 and was known as the Fisherman’s Church given its intricate maritime stone carvings of boats, sea creatures and anchors.

Its high vaulted ceiling proved ideal for the climbing surfaces with the centre a successful business for more than 30 years.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh Printmakers premises in Dundee Street, Fountainbridge, has also won praise. It opened in the former home of the North British Rubber Company, once a major employer in the city, where welly boots and hot water bottles were among items to roll off the production line.

Threatened with demolition, it was repurposed by Page & Park architects and re-opened in 2019 with its red and yellow brick facades, for many years covered in brown paint, a feature once in a corner of the city which has undergone rapid change.

Meanwhile, the derelict Infirmary Street Baths, the capital’s first public swimming pool and washhouse, got a new lease of life as the Dovecot Studios, the renowned tapestry design and weaving centre, in 2006 when Malcolm Fraser Architects came up with a conversion plan. Many original features were retained, including the main pool space which was perfect for hanging tall tapestry commissions.

Dovecot Studios, the tapestry and weaving studio, which is based in the old Infirmary Street Baths. PIC: HES. | HES

A further creative response to a fading city gem came with the restoration of Granton Station, which is now used by artists with the WASPS creative hub.

The station was first built to transport workers to the new Granton gasworks, which began operating in the early 1900s, and is one of the few remaining buildings of the important milestone in the city’s industrial heritage.

The trains ran through the middle of the station, making it challenging to re-purpose when it closed in the 1940s.

The former Granton Railway Station is now the WASPS creative hub for artists and makers. PIC: HES. | HES

City of Edinburgh Council recently led a project to convert the space, which is now run by WASPS, a charity that turns old buildings into creative spaces.

Granton Station in 1906. PIC: HES. | HES

The Dynamic Earth building has also been held up for its innovation with the attraction forged built within the turreted stone walls of the 19th century Abbey Brewery ale stores, reportedly built to hide the brewery at the request of Queen Victoria

Steven Robb, Deputy Head of Historic Buildings at HES, said historic buildings played a key role in Scotland’s “sense of place” and identity. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) of homes in Scotland were built before 1919, with traditional buildings home to 33% of retail space and 24 % of office space.

He said: “These examples of diverse buildings being creatively repurposed highlight the positive outcomes that are created when architects, community groups and local authorities come together to reuse our built heritage.”