Torpichen Street, Edinburgh

jmarchitects have been working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council to develop this high profile site on the corner of Torphichen Street and Dewar Place to create 56,000sqft of Grade A office space.

Date

2014

Client

City of Edinburgh Council

Value

£10m

56,000sqft of Grade A office space is envisaged for this city centre site with clear flexible open plan floor plates ranging over 6floors. As well as linking with the overall masterplanning strategy of the Exchange District, the building scale, materiality and aesthetics link the 1930’s tenement architecture to the south with the 1970’s office building to the west which was refurbished and re-clad in 2001.

This corner site also completes the city block bound by Morrison Street to the south and Torphichen Street to the north. The form and mass of the building has developed from the scale of its neighbours with a linkage of cornice lines, fenestration pattern and sand stone facades culminating in a light glazed corner.

A double height glazed entrance lobby presents itself to Torphichen Street to maximise impact and the building is topped by a glass box at roof level with panoramic views.

The Challenge

In close proximity to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre the Torpichen Street site is one of the few remaining city centre gap sites on the edge of the Exchange District.

The Solution

The building is configured to relate to the street corner and the height and massing of the surrounding buildings.

The Outcome

The building successfully creates a welcoming and high spec office environment that is well lit and column free. The reception area creates a double height frontage and a welcoming entrance from the corner of Torphichen Street and Dewar Place Lane.