Public realm proposals for Edinburgh's Quartermile

Challenge

This nine hectare site, positioned between the historic Old Town and The Meadows, represents one of the most significant pieces of city centre development in Scotland. The Quartermile project has redeveloped the former site of Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary, transforming it into a true city centre mixed-use quarter.

Working with Foster + Partners, members of SLR’s Place team developed public realm proposals from early concept stages through to completion on site. The main aim has been to open the site up, creating a new and connected area of city centre that had previously been closed off since the early parts of the previous century.

One of the major challenges in terms of placemaking was how to create a distinctive new quarter that respected and integrated with the historic city centre context, specifically The Meadows along the southern boundary and the Old Town to the north. Another was creating a setting for the new Foster + Partners architecture, and the retained listed buildings by architects such as William Adam, Sidney Mitchell and David Bryce.

Solution

In order to meet these challenges, a simple, contemporary, robust approach was taken to the public realm. This approach allowed a unifying environment to be implemented which while respecting the adjacent city centre characters, became distinctly ‘Quartermile’. Hard and soft materials were carefully selected in consultation with all stakeholders, including the client, design team and City of Edinburgh Council Planning Department. Mature and semi-mature trees have been planted throughout the project and together with hedgerows, lawns and groundcover planting provide a robust landscape framework that links to The Meadows.

Impact

Quartermile is now complete, and has become an established, vibrant quarter on the south of Edinburgh’s City Centre. Quartermile has become a distinctive place for people to work, shop, explore and live within.

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2016.