AN international architectural competition is being launched today for the design of the replacement for Edinburgh’s famous Ross Bandstand.
The historic venue, nestled in West Princes Street Gardens against the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, is set to be transformed thanks to benefactors to the Ross Development Trust working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council.
Malcolm Reading Consultants today start an international search for an “outstanding team”, as they put it, to design a replacement Pavilion for the Bandstand, a visitor centre to include a cafe, and improvements to the surrounding landscape.
Architects are being asked to design a replacement structure for the year-round benefit of and visitors in consultation with heritage bodies, festival producers and residents.
The National can reveal that the chosen design team will face formidable obstacles due to the Bandstand being bang in the middle of Edinburgh’s city centre UNESCO World Heritage site and the fact that almost all development in Princes Street Gardens is covered by an Act of Parliament passed in Westminster in 1991.
The Castle itself is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the area is also Common Good land, with a special Act of the Scottish Parliament likely to be needed for any major work.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Culture Convener, told The National: “We have been working through the considerable legal issues, such as this being a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is something of interest to the people of Edinburgh and elsewhere in the world.
“We hope for something that blends in with the site but also hopefully says something forward-looking about Scotland. It’s not all about the past – for us it’s about the future of the city.”
Plans have been mooted for the Bandstand in the past, including moving the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to a massive new venue on the site, but all have come to nothing.
Once all permissions have been granted, work could get under way on the winning design by 2018.
Additional improvements in West Princes Street Gardens will include restoring the Ross Fountain to full working order, refurbishing the three rain shelters next to the Floral clock and replacing the road access bridge leading to King’s Stables Road.
The Ross Development Trust has committed substantial funds towards the project. Further individual gifts have already been pledged and more fundraising will take place as part of the project which could see a permanent home for such activities as the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
The 2400 seater venue is best known for hosting the annual Hogmanay Festival concert in the gardens and the annual Fireworks Festival with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra providing the music from the Pavilion stage. The Bandstand area also staged the Homeless World Cup in 2005.
Cllr Lewis added: “This is a unique opportunity for an architect to re-imagine one of the most stunning settings in Scotland. We are now at the stage where it is in real need of redevelopment. Rather than make improvements on our own, the Ross Development Trust’s funding allows us to set our sights much higher.”
The driving force behind the project is Apex Hotel group founder Norman Springford, who now chairs the Ross Development Trust and will chair the Competition Jury.
He told The National: “It’s been a few years to get this far and initially the problems were getting traction with the council but they have been entirely supportive of late. It’s a great opportunity for a public private cooperation and that’s the sort of thing we like to see in Edinburgh.”
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