Scottish Provident
building: photo © adrian welch sep 2006 with lumix camera
Mar 2005
CDA (with Gareth Hoskins) redevelopment of the empty building: Possibility of demolition by Abbey of the B-listed building to maximise offices, retail and top floor residential scenarios.
Forum: Views welcomed on the possible demolition of the former Scottish Provident Headquarters, a Scottish Modernist masterpiece - mail@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
Jun 2005
Article re future of the Building by John Deffenbaugh + Letter re this celebrated Modern office building from Frazer Hay: Scottish Provident
Description
In the south-west corner at No.6 is the well-balanced
Scottish Provident Building, 1961, by William G Leslie of
Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul
Edinburgh Design Tsar Terry Farrell's right-hand man, Riccardo Marini, declared these offices on St Andrews Square as his favourite Edinburgh building in May 2004.
photo © adrian welch
No.6 St Andrew Square was the home of insurers Scottish Provident but Abbey are reportedly relocating staff in 2004 to Glasgow: a new tenant for the building has yet to be announced. The building is strongly articulated and ingeniously turns the corner at the south-west corner of St Andrew Square by retaining the older corner block and running behind it to emerge with two separated facades.
This building was voted a favourite in Prospect's back page by a key Edinburgh architecture critic a few years ago and is very popular amongst many architects, but less so with most of the general public. It of course sits on a key New Town Square alongside valued historic buildings such as David Bryce's Bank of Scotland, 38-39 St Andrews Square, and Dundas Mansion, by Sir William Chambers and later Dick Peddie.
Scottish Provident at time of writing has 1.2m policyholders, paying £50m in premiums. The company have moved from life policies and pensions towards the protection policy market. This includes life cover, critical illness and other products geared towards offering customers protection against mishaps, illness or death. Along with Scottish Widows and Standard Life, the company was one of the prime financial sector employers in Edinburgh through the late 20th century.
photo © adrian welch
Buildings Adjacent to No.6:
The red sandstone Prudential Assurance at 14 South St. Andrew St. is by Waterhouse.
On the south-west corner of St Andrew's Square (No.9) is the overly severe former Scottish Widows branch office by Spence, Glover & Ferguson [on the corner of Rose St]. The building is too montonous for this location, with its regular punched fenestration, and is only articulated by a deep entrance slot - stepped into the black marble base and slicing a chunk out of the grey main facade. A recessed top floor and the presence of Sainsbury's peeking out of the solid base try and give life to the form. Adjacent to this structure, north towards George Street, is the restored (around 2002) former Caledonian Insurance Co., 1938-59, Thomson & Connell: black marble, flanking statues, copper roof and Art Deco fenestration and decoration.
Scottish Architecture: best Scottish Buildings of the last three decades
Scottish Architects of the past
Edinburgh Walking Tours
Also by Kininmonth & Spence:
Lismhor, modern house at No. 11 Easter Belmont Rd, 1933/35
building photo by john deffenbaugh
Scottish Provident Edinburgh - Letter
Scottish Provident - Computer Images from Frazer Hay
Edinburgh : back to index
Also by Spence: John Lewis Edinburgh
Adjacent building: Harvey Nichols, St Andrew Square
Scottish Provident architect - William Kininmonth