May 31 2023

A pair of identical 1950s deck access slab blocks on Edinburgh's Muirhouse Estate are to undergo a full retrofit as part of a broader package of masterplan and landscape works for the 3.5-hectare site.

Oxcars Court and Inchmickery Court will each undergo a whole building retrofit at the hands of Stallan-Brand to improve the lives of tenants, a large proportion of whom live with fuel poverty, dampness and mould. Improved thermal performance, air tightness and ventilation will meet these aims, as will the enlargement of existing windows and south-facing balconies, including the introduction of sliding glazed screens, to improve access to daylight.

Other moves include the internalisation of open access decks to the north within a new facade, delivered in tandem with an increase in active frontages to the ground floor and a rationalisation of entrances.

In a press statement, the architects wrote: "The only practical way of making thermal improvements to the north elevations, due to the dimensionally constrained open access decks, is to enclose them within a new facade supported off a new self-supporting structure. The overlay of a delicate new facade over the robust original with its two existing planes (access deck edge and external wall line of dwellings) will create a rich composition that evolves from day through night.

"A simpler approach is possible to the south elevations, with the existing external walls insulated and rendered. Balconies are extended through a new self-supporting structure, as they are currently quite shallow and will lose depth to the proposed insulation, and to increase private amenity space and promote external passive clothes drying. Sliding glazed screens to the balconies enable them to be used in cooler months and inclement weather. Soft-edged private residents' gardens are created around the ground floor ‘bookend’ flats to provide them with some defensible space."

Complicating matters is the unconventional layout of each block with maisonettes bookended by flats, the upper levels of the former stepping out above and below the open access decks to leave exposed soffit and roof elements.

Explaining the challenges faced, the practice added: "They are an extremely complex building typology, due to the combination of; open access decks, maisonettes whose upper level steps out above/below the open access decks to create exposed soffit and roof elements, an exposed cast in-situ concrete exoskeleton structure that sits proud of the external walls, architectural detailing which creates a high number of complicated junctions, a complex section line of exposed projecting concrete slab edges and balustrades and the sheer scale of the buildings."

Other improvements include the removal of a small service road between the two towers to improve the leisure and amenity offering to the south. The project team includes Turner & Townsend, Atelier Ten, Goodsons and Oobe.

5 Comments

#1 Posted by Shatner's Bassoon on 31 May 2023 at 10:13 AM

The dark grey cladding is grim and joyless. These are peoples homes, why make it appear so hostile?

#2 Posted by Taking the Mickery on 31 May 2023 at 12:46 PM

Love the pink, love the architectural expression, and especially love the retrofit first program, but go on Paul and treat yourself to another colour instead of the grey

#3 Posted by alibi on 31 May 2023 at 12:55 PM

At first glance, looks like a great project. Encouraging to see shift to retrofit over demolition.

Any scope for a ground floor shop here ?

#4 Posted by Hamish on 1 Jun 2023 at 02:36 AM

This looks like a great project. Something that should be happening up and down the country - tackling fuel poverty, emissions, access to greenspace, mental and physical health issues, lack of community, antisocial behaviour, and feeling of safety all in one swoop.

#5 Posted by Chris on 1 Jun 2023 at 10:23 AM

Red block looks great, Grey block decidedly less so.

When are developers/architects going to realise that grey and white building materials look terrible in our climate.

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