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Modern Edinburgh Architecture : Information + Images
Modern Architecture became linked to a certain genre of building and thus over time wasn't really 'modern' anymore. Thus Modern Houses (or Modernist Houses) suggests a certain style, not simply a 'contemporary' or 'current' construction. Modern Architecture was associated with some great architects and some powerful countries and companies. It became the equivalent of the Classical Style in the Georgian period, ie the establishment architecture, the status quo. Since the seventies architecture styles have become more fractured and we have - amongst what could be termed contemporary architects - post-modernists, neo-modernists, deconstructivists, contextualists, expressionists and so on. Modern Edinburgh Houses, Scotland: Early 20th Century Architecture, alphabetical: 1900-1970 These modern buildings, mostly Modern houses, are dotted around Edinburgh so probably best reached by car, or bus. Buildings covered elsewhere include St. Andrew's House, St. Cuthbert's Showroom (Point Hotel) and Grey Walls. In many ways Edinburgh fell asleep architecturally from the Georgian era up until relatively recently. None of the buildings below really compare with Glasgow's stars, e.g. Luma light factory (1936), Gillespie Kidd & Coia's churches and Cardross Seminary, Alexander Greek Thomson's churches* or of course Mackintosh's works. Avisfield, Cramond, northwest Edinburgh : private house 1958 Morris + Steedman Architects photo © isabelle lomholt Morris + Steedman house Craigsbank Church, Craigs Bank, Corstorphine 1967 Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul Echoes of Ronchamp: clean lines, powerful forms with single bell as visible icon over the suburban bungalows. Lots of exposed concrete and rough render. Under refurbishment 2006. 46a Dick Place, The Grange : private house 1933 William Kininmonth The late Kininmonth's own house. White-rendered two-storey rectilinear volume with focal south-facing bay window; the latter is highly-glazed and topped with a terrace. The roofs are flat but there is no nautical theme here with the roof terrace not even being expressed on the elevation. George Watson's Music School, Merchiston 1964 Michael Laird & Partners (now Architects) George Watson's : hyperbolic paraboloid roof pitched down to fleetingly touch the ground plane 4 Glenlockhart Bank, Craiglockhart : private house 1938 George Lawrence White, modern, curved bay window; well-balanced composition for artist Helen Thornton. Lismhor, 11 Easter Belmont Rd, Corstorphine : private house 1933/35 Kininonth & Basil Spence Lismhor House : In a series of 1930's modern houses on this private road Maybury Roadhouse, Maybury Rd, Gogar 1936 Patterson & Brown Well-known Art Deco casino and hotel on road to airport: white, modern & streamlined with glitzy interior. A Little House on Blackford Hill, 32 Charterhall Rd, Blackford : private house - This Modern Edinburgh House was for sale in Summer 2003, again in Autumn 2008 Mortonhall Crematorium, Howdenhall Rd, Liberton 1967 Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson Mortonhall : assortment of white Corbusian buildings in rolling parkland setting: the crystalline chapel's interior feels Scandinavian St Andrew's Church, Clermiston View, Clermiston 1959 Sir Basil Spence & Ptnrs Landmark modern campanile adrift in trad suburbia Standard Life Assurance, 3 George St, New Town 1964; 1975 Michael Laird & Partners (now Architects) Standard Life Building : Office building wraps round an existing corner block Royal Commonwealth Pool, Dalkeith Rd, Newington, Southside - RMJM Royal Commonwealth Pool : swimming pool Adam House, Chambers St, Old Town 1954-55 Kininmonth View from Cowgate of Chambers St University building. The Old Town Fire ripped out the heart of the Old Town's World Heritage site damaging at least ten buildings. Adam House was built to serve as an examination centre. The Rink, Haddington Rd, Gifford : private house 1963 Campbell & Arnott Architects Delightful Modern home sited in former Manse's garden. Southside Garage, Newington, Southside 2002-03 Basil Spence refurbished by Duffy & Batt Southside Garage Amisfield Park, Haddington, East Lothian 1964 Campbell & Arnott Architects Amisfield Park : Modern Houses on eastern perimeter of Haddington Architecture Tours Modern Houses Scottish Architecture Afshar House in Edinburgh, 2003: On a personal note, my visit to Aalto's Villa Mairea, finding the owners were on holiday and being shown round by the gardener on a scholarship to study Modern Finnish Architecture in 2001 at the age of 19, has to be the highlight of my student years. Later, whilst working for Eva Jiricna a group of us went to see the office's work in Brno - the Lavka Bridge - and to see Mies van der Rohe's Tugendhat Villa. The pictures had never made the house look so seductive but this building has the power of the Barcelona Pavilion, except it was built for a family, for domesticity. The simple red onyx wall designed to glow crimson with the sunset, peppered by opaque stones and small holes, is a tour de force as are the radical full-height windows that dropped into the floor to engage 'house' and 'garden'. Adrian Welch Modern Buildings in Scotland British Home Stores: BHS image from princes st gardens © adrian welch: 2005 New Club, Princes Street: new club edinburgh - image © adrian welch: 2005 Former Scottish Provident Headquarters: * St Mary's Free Church, Broughton St, Edinburgh competition design, c.1858, by Greek Thomson - but never built Glasgow Houses Edinburgh : back to index Buildings / photos for the Modern Edinburgh Architecture pages welcome: info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk Modern Edinburgh Buildings : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt