May 1 2024

A substantial new family home in Edinburgh city centre is set to rise on disused ground at Blenheim Place.

The upside-down design replaces initial ideas for two modern 'temple' style homes, discounted for their impact on the A-listed Greenside Place Church, with a discreet single-storey wall of Dunhouse 'Northumberland buff' stone to the street.

Interrupted only by a grey hardwood front door, to hide a five-bedroom detached house over two levels behind, the Richard Murphy Architects design places the main entrance living space and outdoor terrace on the upper level with bedrooms tucked underneath.

In their design statement, the architects wrote: "From Blenheim Place an ashlar stone wall deliberately designed to be at the same height as the church’s entrance plinth (and with the same coping detail) continues horizontally as the road slopes away to the west. It is only interrupted by two windows and the front door/window composition. The windows give glimpses of the interior without compromising the privacy of the inhabitants.

"The majority of the roof is flat with 85mm of soil for substantial planting (i.e. not a sedum roof) so when seen from the upper part of Greenside Place or the entrance plinth to the church it will appear to be covered in greenery. The only pitched roof is a mono-pitch over the living space facing south-east and this is entirely covered with photovoltaic panels.

"Both east and west elevations are windowless but the south elevation facing toward the church garden reveals the building to be two storeys."

Set back a metre from the street railings the property is being spearheaded by the former owner of Greenside, a recently renovated office building dating from 1989.  

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Lovely on 4 May 2024 at 15:10 PM

Really rather lovely it has to be said.

#2 Posted by town planner on 5 May 2024 at 13:17 PM

Indeed it is.

#3 Posted by Rankielass on 6 May 2024 at 09:33 AM

Very nice, and a bit subdued for Mr Murphy.

#4 Posted by Mansartarchi on 6 May 2024 at 12:50 PM

Tollcross fire station comes to mind (said in jest and not a criticism). Not quite sure I'd class this as substantial if you look at the Planning drawings. Lovely response to the site!

Post your comments