New Cowgate Nursery, Old Assembly Close, off Royal Mile, 2002
Allan Murray Architects: Tron Square Nursery - Building PR
Tron Nursery: Keith Hunter image from Allan Murray Architects
Edinburgh's first purpose-built nursery for some decades has just opened within the heart of the city's historic Old Town. This important regeneration project is situated directly off Old Assembly Close and provides the Edinburgh City Council Education Department with a 4,300sq.feet flagship nursery facility for approximately 60 children (aged up to 5 years) and replaces the previous nursery building (sited next to the busy Cowgate road).
Tron Nursery: image from Allan Murray Architects
Allan Murray Architects were commissioned by Buredi to design this £625,000 new-build project and have produced an ingenious solution to the specific briefing requirements and tight site constraints of this small south-facing courtyard.
Cowgate Nursery: image from Allan Murray Architects
The new Cowgate Nursery site is bounded to the north by the towering rear elevations of the Royal Mile tenements, and drops steeply towards the 1899 Tron Square housing to the south. The Nursery reinforces the historic grain of the Closes on the east and west of the site and repairs the schism in the urban grain left by the Tron Square housing to the south.
New Cowgate Nursery: image from Allan Murray Architects
The building comprises four classrooms, administrative facilities and meeting rooms; all linked to the outdoor play courtyard. The distinctive patinated zinc curved rear wall incorporates large-scale angular roof lights to bring natural light deep into the plan, and also maintain views through the Closes from the Royal Mile.
Tron Nursery: image from Allan Murray Architects
The pedestrian route of Old Assembly Close is emphasised by a two storey wing comprising a secure entrance with nursery staff administration accommodation above. The new Cowgate Nursery design seeks to provide a spatially exciting environment for the teaching and development of young children, and exploits existing level changes across the site to provide creative play features. The external expression of the nursery reinforces its contemporary nature through a composition of pre-patinated zinc, glass and smooth render.
The New Cowgate Nursery represents the first bespoke nursery to be built in the city centre for some decades. This bold insertion demonstrates a commitment by the City to promote exciting, contemporary educational buildings appropriate to the needs of young children.
New Cowgate Nursery - Project Team:
Client: The City of Edinburgh Council - CEC
Architects: Allan Murray Architects - Project Architect: Steven McGillivray
Project Managers: Castle Rock Housing Association Ltd
Quantity Surveyors: Ross & Morton
Structural Engineers: Will Rudd Davidson Ltd
Building Services Engineers: Taylor Associates
Planning Supervisor: Faber Maunsell
Contractor: John Mowlem + Company plc
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News excerpt re the New Cowgate Nursery:
Buredi were short leeted for the PM's Award for public buildings for the Tron Nursery by Allan Murray Architects July 03