Lothian Road Edinburgh, The Exchange

Lothian Road Edinburgh Building Images, Architect, News, Property Project Photos

Lothian Road, Edinburgh CBD

Lothian Road: Edinburgh’s Central Business District, The Exchange

CBD including The Exchange by Terry Farrell & Partners

Begin the Lothian Road tour by leaving the Royal Mile by one of the Closes down to beautifully-curving Victoria Street (if hungry try Le Bleu) then heading West through the historic Grassmarket, former vegetable market and site of hangings (alternatively go straight from the Castle down Johnston Terrace).

Edinburgh Central Business District Buildings

agua restaurant
Design: Ian Springford Architects
agua restaurant
picture from the architect
agua restaurant

Dance Base, Grassmarket
Design: Malcolm Fraser Architects
Dance Base
photo © Adrian Welch
National Dance Centre: Entry is at the far north-west corner of the Grassmarket. Stirling Prize nominee 2002.
Dance Base

Metro, Apex Hotels, 31 Grassmarket
Design: Ian Springford Architects
Apex Hotel Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch
One of Edinburgh’s most spacious restaurants: a long triple-height space is carved out with partial views of the street.

Apex Hotel Edinburgh

Head West up the West Port, former address of Burke & Hare

Westport Reiach and HallEvolution House on Westport
Design: Reiach and Hall Architects
Evolution House Edinburgh Offices
photo © Adrian Welch
Opposite to the north is Argyle House

Westport House
Design: Michael Laird Architects
Westport House
picture from the architect
Proposed office building to replace massive concrete block

over the crest of the hill veer right into Bread Street:

Point Hotel & Monboddo’s Bar, 34 Bread St
Design: Andrew Doolan Architects
Point Hotel Edinburgh
photo : Steffen Schefer
Strong flavours, no fear of using vivid colours. Andrew Doolan was developer, architect & part-owns this Hotel.
Point Hotel Edinburgh

Point Conference Centre, 32 Bread St
Design: Andrew Doolan Architects
Point Hotel conference centre
picture © Keith Hunter
Andrew Doolan’s empire grows with this minimal but playful addition. Bold intervention that is sophisticated by day, exciting and dynamic by night.

Point Conference Centre

Follow Spittal St. briefly, turn left up Grindlay St, past the Royal Lyceum Theatre and the octagonal Usher Hall
Usher Hall
picture from the architect

Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, Lothian Road
Design: Nicholas Groves Raines Architects
Traverse Theatre Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch
Traverse Theatre

Try Andrea Faed’s Blue Restaurant upstairs for some restrained but fresher architecture.

Head North to front of the block:

Saltire Court, Castle Terrace
Design: Campbell & Arnott Architects
Saltire Court
photo © Adrian Welch
Saltire Court

Turn left up Lothian Road and then right onto Morrison Street and head West

The Exchange, off Lothian Road
Design: Terry Farrell & Partners
The Exchange Edinburgh
aerial photo © Sean Gallagher
The Exchange Edinburgh

Office, Semple St
Design: Michael Laird Architects
Lothian Road offices
picture from the architect
Excel House

Office, Semple St
Design: Michael Laird Architects
Semple St Edinburgh
picture from the architect
Semple St

Odeon, Morrison St (118 Lothian Road) – refurbishment + new-build
Design: Hugh Martin Partnership
118 Lothian Road
photo © Adrian Welch

Odeon, Lothian Road
Odeon Lothian Road
image © Adrian Welch

Edinburgh One
Design: Hurd Rolland Architects
The Exchange
photo © Adrian Welch
Edinburgh One

Scottish Widows, Port Hamilton, 69 Morrison Street
1998
Design: Building Design Partnership (now BDP)
Scottish Widows Edinburgh
picture from the architect
Headquarters building on land from former terminal of Union Canal.
Scottish Widows

Cross the road to the north side of Morrison St:

EICC, The Exchange, Morrison St
Design: Terry Farrell & Co.
Edinburgh Conference Centre
photo © Adrian Welch
Powerful monolithic drum-shaped building, a key element in masterplan to revitalise this former industrial backland.
EICC The Exchange + EICC Additional Spaces Facility

Sheraton Hotel Health Club, Conference Square
Design: Terry Farrell & Co.
Sheraton Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch
At last a bit of colour in this dreary part of Edinburgh: a slim rectilinear building amidst the postmodern seriousness.
Sheraton Edinburgh

Edinburgh Filmhouse
Design: Richard Murphy Architects
Edinburgh Filmhouse
picture from the architect

Follow Morrison St over West Approach Road (at night Jonathan Spiers’ lighting of the Dewar Place substation makes for a colourful intervention) and turn left onto Morrison Link.

Edinburgh City Travel Inn, 1 Morrison Link
Design: Andrew Doolan Architects
Travel Inn Edinburgh
photo : Steffen Schefer
Budget hotel near Haymarket built on railway goods yard.
Travel Inn Edinburgh

Proceed North to Maitland St, turn right and head back along Shandwick Pl. towards Princes St; the RIAS is on the right at 15 Rutland Square.
St Mary's Cathedral
photo © Adrian Welch
Alternatively go straight ahead over Maitland St to visit St Mary’s Cathedral, Sir George Gilbert Scott, on Palmerston Pl.

Caledonian Hotel, Hilton Edinburgh
Caledonian Hotel
photo © Adrian Welch

Standard Life, Lothian Road
Design: Michael Laird Partnership
Standard Life Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch

Lothian Road The Exchange

Lothian Road Restaurants

New Town Harvey Nichols

Edinburgh Restaurants

Edinburgh Walking Tours

Lothian Chambers

Lothian Regional Rouncil HQ

Lothian Structure Plan

Buildings / photos for the Lothian Road Architecture – Scottish Capital CBD Development pages welcome

Edinburgh