The Ross Development Trust, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, with the collaboration of the City of Edinburgh Council revealed the seven concept projects designed by international and UK teams for a new landmark Ross Pavilion, with the intention to revitalize one of the city’s most emblematic places, the Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens.

The new Pavilion is going to be located in the center of the West Princes Street Gardens, a nationally important site, with the spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle above and adjoining the city’s most famous shopping street. Currently the spot is occupied by the Ross Bandstand, for much of the year a quite paradise, it is also the focus for some of Scotland’s most important events and celebrations as the Hogmanay and the Edinburgh International Festival’s.

The proposals competing are designed by the following shortlisted teams (in alphabetical order):
 
- Adjaye Associates with Morgan McDonnell, BuroHappold Engineering, Plan A Consultants, JLL, Turley, Arup, Sandy Brown, Charcoalblue, AOC Archaeology, Studio LR, FMDC, Interserve and Thomas & Adamson

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) with JM Architects, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, GROSS.MAX., Charcoalblue, Speirs + Major, JLL, Alan Baxter and People Friendly

Flanagan Lawrence with Gillespies, Expedition Engineering, JLL, Arup and Alan Baxter

Page \ Park Architects, West 8 Landscape Architects and BuroHappold Engineering with Charcoalblue and Muir Smith Evans

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter with GROSS.MAX., AECOM, Charcoalblue, Groves-Raines Architects and Forbes Massie Studio

wHY, GRAS, Groves-Raines Architects, Arup, Studio Yann Kersalé, O Street, Stuco, Creative Concern, Noel Kingsbury, Atelier Ten and Lawrence Barth with Alan Cumming, Aaron Hicklin, Beatrice Colin, Peter Ross, Alison Watson and Adrian Turpin

William Matthews Associates and Sou Fujimoto Architects with BuroHappold Engineering, GROSS.MAX., Purcell, Scott Hobbs Planning and Filippo Bolognese

The first permanent structure of the Ross Bandstand, was designed by architects Kinnear and Peddie in 1877. This was replaced in 1935 by the current structure, designed by the city architect E J Macrae and upgraded and extended a number of times throughout the 20th century. Currently the Bandstand has fallen into disrepair not living to its full potential. When there is no event or celebration, the site closes to the public, restricting the access through the Gardens and causing an unoccupied space in one of the most visited green spaces in Scotland.

Since 2004, there has been an ambition to replace the Bandstand because of the uncapacity of the current structure to withstand the intense storms. Consequently, the city of Edinburgh Council commissioned a study of the site and made some recommendations. There was a previous competition launched in 2006, but the project was cancelled due to the lack of capital. 

The seven projects that have reached the second stage of the Ross Pavilion International Design Competition, have been selected from 125 teams (made up of 400 firms) who entered the competition. The Pavilion will provide a flexible platform for the arts and the cultural programming, as well as it will allow residents and visitors to involve with all the year round events the space will harbour. This project of about £25 million, also includes subtle updates to the West Princes Street Gardens, operated and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council.

At the first stage of the competition, the Trust was looking for creative teams led by an architect demonstrating expertise in landscape, engineering, heritage and planning. At the second stage of the competition, the teams were asked to produce concept designs, having the challenge to replace the existing Bandstand with a new Pavilion of an outstanding design quality and appropriate to the significance of the site, with the purpose of creating an image that will, over time, come to be associated with Edinburgh. In this stage the teams had to show the understanding of Edinburgh’s dynamic and creative identity, whilst regarding the historical site and traditional values.

The project of the Ross Pavilion and Gardens project had to be considered within the context of a landscape masterplan for West Princes Street Gardens, with the final purpose to reanimate and also reimagine one of the most important public spaces in the city, as well as considering its connections to the city area. This Pavilion has to be compatible with the divers uses of West Princes Street Gardens, including a tranquil space from the surrounding urban area; a daily stage for small events; and a space for occasional large-scale events of around 8000 people.

The Ross Pavilion and Gardens project is comprised of four elements: 

- A visitor centre, including a viewing platform; a café with indoor and outdoor seating; and flexible spaces and support facilities for different uses.
- A performance space, including a sheltered stage for large headline events which is capable of transforming into an enclosed space for smaller shows.
- A natural amphitheatre created by returning the seating bowl, to a softer landscaped finish, restoring more of the green space. The seating area has to be capable of accommodating from 200 people for smaller vents,  to 3000 people for large-scale events.
- A landscape masterplan of West Princes Street Gardens including landscape improvements such as improving the connections through the Gardens between the Old Town and the New Town, as well as restoring the promenade condition.

The jury, which includes Alexander McCall Smith CBE FRSE, Sir Mark Jones FSA, FRSE along with Andrew Kerr, CEO, City of Edinburgh Council and Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage will meet to interview the teams before announcing the winner in early August 2017. The construction of the project is expected to begin in 2018.

Established in 2016, the Ross Development Trust is one of the key project stakeholder, whose purpose is to advance the appreciation and promotion of the arts, culture and heritage within West Princes Street Gardens. Other stakeholders include Edinburgh World Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, the Edinburgh Festival, the Cockburn Association, and the Old Town Community Council.

The concept designs are on display in a free-to-enter exhibition at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre, Wednesday – Sunday from 21 June until 30 July 2017. The public is being invited to share its views on the projects via a survey at the exhibition or by emailing at rosspavilion@malcolmreading.co.uk.
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Published on: July 10, 2017
Cite: "Seven teams compete to design the new landmark Ross Pavilion" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/seven-teams-compete-design-new-landmark-ross-pavilion> ISSN 1139-6415
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