Tron Nursery Cowgate, Edinburgh Under 5’s

Tron Nursery Edinburgh, Photos, Design, Building, Architect, Buredi Project

Tron Square Edinburgh : Architecture

New Cowgate Nursery, Old Town by Allan Murray Architects, Scotland

Tron Nursery

New Cowgate Nursery, Old Assembly Close
Date built: 2002
Design: Allan Murray Architects (AMA)

Under 5’s: Tron Nursery for Buredi – Burrell + EDI

Location: off Royal Mile

Address: Old Assembly Close, 172 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1QX

Phone: 0131 225 7251

Allan Murray Architects : Tron Square Nursery – Building

No larger images, apologies:
New Cowgate Nursery Nursery Old Town Under 5's Tron Nursery
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 4,300 square 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).

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.

The new Cowgate Nursery site is bounded to the north by the towering rear elevations of the Royal Mile Edinburghtenements, 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.

Tron Nursery Tron Nursery Cowgate
New Cowgate Nursery: images 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.

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

Burrell Company Developments

The Burrell Company – Liberton, Edinburgh

The Burrell Company – Tron Square, Edinburgh

The Burrell Company – Cowgate Nursery, Edinburgh

The Burrell Company – Leith Coalhill , Leith

The Burrell Company – No1 Parliament Square, Edinburgh

Scottish Capital Building Developments

Edinburgh Old Town

Hotel Missoni Edinburgh – also by Allan Murray Architects in the Old Town

Edinburgh Walking Tours

Flora Stevenson Nursery Edinburgh

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 2003

Comments / photos for the Tron Square Nursery Edinburgh Architecture page welcome