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).
agua restaurant
Ian Springford Architects
edinburgh restaurants + agua restaurant
Dance Base, Grassmarket
2001
Malcolm Fraser Architects
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
2000
Ian Springford Architects
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
West Port - Evolution House
Reiach and Hall Architects
Opposite to the north is Argyle House
Westport House
Michael Laird Architects
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
1998
Andrew Doolan Architects
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
2001
Andrew Doolan Architects
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
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, Lothian Road
1992
Nicholas Groves Raines Architects
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
1991
Campbell & Arnott Architects
Saltire Court
Turn left up Lothian Road and then right onto Morrison Street and head West
The Exchange, off Lothian Road
Terry Farrell & Partners
Aerial photo © Sean Gallagher
The Exchange Edinburgh
Office, Semple St
Michael Laird Architects
Excel House
Office, Semple St
Michael Laird Architects
Semple St
Odeon, Morrison St (118 Lothian Road) - refurbishment + new-build
Hugh Martin Partnership
Odeon, Lothian Road
image © Adrian Welch
Edinburgh One
2000
Hurd Rolland Architects
Edinburgh One
Scottish Widows, Port Hamilton, 69 Morrison Street
1998
Building Design Partnership
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
1995
Terry Farrell & Co.
Powerful monolithic drum-shaped building, a key element in masterplan to revitalise this former industrial backland.
Edinburgh Conference Centre
EICC Additional Spaces Facility
Sheraton Hotel Health Club, Conference Square
2000
Terry Farrell & Co.
At last a bit of colour in this dreary part of Edinburgh: a slim rectilinear building amidst the postmodern seriousness.
Sheraton Edinburgh
Edinburgh Filmhouse
-
Richard Murphy Architects
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
1995-99
Andrew Doolan Architects
Budget hotel near Haymarket built on railway goods yard.
Travel Inn Edinburgh
Proceed North to Maitland St. then turn right and head back along Shandwick Pl. towards Princes St.; the RIAS is on the right at 15 Rutland Square and is well worth a visit.
Alternatively go straight ahead over Maitland St to visit St Mary's Cathedral, Sir George Gilbert Scott, on Palmerston Pl.
Caledonian Hotel, Hilton Edinburgh
Standard Life, Lothian Road
Michael Laird Partnership
Architecture Competition
Scottish Architecture: best Scottish Buildings of the last three decades
Edinburgh Walking Tours
Edinburgh Buildings : back to index
Lothian Road : restaurants
Buildings / photos for the Lothian Road Architecture pages welcome:
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
Lothian Road Edinburgh - Building : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt