Edinburgh College of Art
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Summary
Refurbishing an historic building for the next generation of learners
A former fire station building undergoing a significant refurbishment, which will complete Edinburgh College of Art’s famous Lauriston site and create a flexible, collaborative and connected campus.
Robertson is bringing our experience in the meticulous restoration of heritage buildings to this cherished Edinburgh landmark, so that it can be integrated seamlessly into the ECA’s strategic estates optimisation.
Creating a connected, more flexible campus
Located within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, the building is beautifully placed, and offers a perfect space for innovative teaching, research and public engagement.
The refurbishment will provide:
- a main reception for the campus,
- staff accommodation – offices and social space,
- workshops and digital fabrication facilities,
- and student support facilities.
This rationalisation frees up space within the campus to allow greater connectivity and the creation of flexible learning spaces.
A project to protect the city’s heritage
We know how important a part of Edinburgh's history this building is, and we are committed to protecting that heritage throughout the refurbishment, so that while we modernise the facilities, the unique personality remains in place.
With extensive experience of carrying out intricate restorations on projects as varied as Whitley Bay’s Spanish City, King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, and The Farrell Centre in Newcastle, we know that each project requires exceptional care and attention to detail, protecting these important buildings and securing their futures.
The fascinating history of a former fire station
The Category A-Listed building we are refurbishing was constructed in 1901, as one of the first purpose-built fire stations in Europe. It has the unusual accolade of being the very first to have had living accommodation for firemen and their families.
As a fire station, it was operational until 1988 and was then transformed into the home of the Museum of Fire before being relocated to Dryden Terrace. The building was purchased by The University of Edinburgh in 2017, to complete the Edinburgh College of Art’s Lauriston Campus.
A long-term partnership
Our partnership with the University of Edinburgh has been built on many years of trust. We have been relied upon to deliver, and the repeat business we have received from our important partner is testament to the quality of our work.
The Institute of Genetics (IGC) extension, refurbishment of the famous Darwin Building, the Lister Learning & Teaching Centre extension, and construction of the university’s Large Animal Research & Imaging Facility (LARIF) facility, are some of the highly successful projects we have completed.
By developing such a valuable and long-standing partnership with The University of Edinburgh, we have been trusted to help our world-class customer to achieve their ambitious estates vision.
Route to market
the project was procured through the CCS Framework.
