Welcome to the August 2005 news from Richard Murphy Architects.
Planning Permission for Trinity Park Flats
We are delighted to report that Edinburgh Council Planning Committee approved our proposals for Cala/MAB for approximately 300 flats on the Trinity Park site, north Edinburgh. This planning application has had a long history and has met with some local opposition although much less since a substantial redesign earlier this year. For the practice it represents the largest project undertaken so far with an approximate construction value of £35 million. Work is expected to start on site in January 2006 preceded by demolition of the existing office later this year. The organisation of the housing on the site preserves many of the mature trees whilst at the same time places all resident parking underground and makes a substantial landscape garden (lost at the time of the construction of the office) onto which the majority of the flats will look.
Revised Sean Connery Filmhouse Design on Public Display
The proposal for a new Filmhouse and home for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Scottish screen industries is a revised design following both comments received since the launch of the idea at last year's festival and revisions of the brief. The building is now taller but occupies substantially less space on Festival Square. It has more accommodation with one of the six auditoria having expanded to 600 seats primarily for festival and conference use but capable of reduction to 300 seats at other times. Another 300 seat auditorium has been placed underground. An impressive model is on display at the Royal Scottish Academy "Festival Connections" Exhibition which is open to the public from Saturday (August 13th) to 25th September, 10.00am to 5.00pm; 12.00pm to 5.00pm Sundays, admission free. Also on display is the recently completed RIBA award winning "Galeri" Creative Enterprise and Performing Arts Centre in Caernarfon, North Wales.
Cowgate Flats Topped Out
Our project for Castle Rock Housing Association and EDI Ltd. next door to the office on the Cowgate was topped out and a rather dramatic crane that has been on site for some time dismantled. Before it was, our intrepid assistant site architect Craig Amy climbed to the top and took some spectacular photos of not just this project but also our housing on Old Fishmarket Close. The project for 35 flats and offices for EDI is due to be completed in March 2006.
New House near Loch Tay
Designs for a new house for Richard Bowden and Muriel Dunbar at Fearnan have recently been passed by Perth and Kinross Council in a record of six weeks since lodging the application! (If only other local authorities were so speedy)! The design which envisages the demolition of another house on the site is a "long house" with all rooms facing south and a spectacular loch view. The principle rooms sit on an upper level and also include a large covered terrace. Details have been published on the web site.
Castleford Library
We were disappointed not to win the RIBA competition for a library and museum in Castleford Yorkshire. Congratulations to Niall McLoughlin on his success. Our project will shortly be published on our website and we believe all six finalists will be published soon by the RIBA.
Advanced Notice of "Doors Open Day" 24th September
The Cockburn Association tells us that an unprecedented number of buildings designed by the practice will be open to the public this year. These are number 17, Royal Terrace Mews and opposite it 10, Regent Terrace Mews (the latter now the home of Richard Murphy), Maggie's Centre, the Jack Kilby Computing Centre at Napier University, Harmeny School, Balerno, the office's own premises at The Breakfast Mission and a newcomer, our design for a new house at 10a, Circus Lane. Twice refused planning permission but won on appeal this design became known in the press as the "Japanese" house (a joke continued recently by our client with his Japanese "no parking" sign). Last year massive queues developed for admission to the private houses: visitors are advised to come early!
Lectures
Richard will be lecturing to two controversial organisations: the Scottish Planning Summer School at Heriot Watt on the 12th September and then later on the 21st he enters the lions' den to lecture at Historic Scotland.
Practice Trip to Eichstatt
The practice will be visiting Munich and Eichstatt between October 27th and 31st during which period the office will be closed. The primary purpose of the trip will be to have a couple of days in Eichstatt visiting Architect KarlJosef Schattner and seeing his work in the town. Now retired, his life has been spent working for the local Catholic Bishop with many commissions for the Catholic University of Eichstatt. Compared to Scarpa (by whom he has been much influenced) he has worked quietly in this small Baroque town producing one beautifully detailed and carefully considered intervention after another. His work is an exemplar of how to craft new uses out of existing buildings and also a demonstration of remarkable and consistent patronage. We will also be visiting Gunter Benisch's University library and of course sampling the architectural life of nearby Munich. If any of our friends want to join us the cost is approximately £350 (costs vary with Easyjet quotes and accomodation requirements) flying from Edinburgh on the Thursday 27th at 13.10 via Stanstead and returning 16.10 via Stanstead on the Monday 31st with accomodation in Eichstatt on Thursday and Friday nights and Munich on Saturday and Sunday nights.A coach is booked to take us to and from the town which will limit the number of "extras" to about ten. Contact Kathy Jowett here if interested.
And finally...
As well as the Architects' Journal we also will be launching a new graphic identity and redesigned website in time for the practice's 14th birthday on the 1st October. The contents and navigability of the web site will remain the same (home-designed, it has attracted many compliments regarding lack of gimmicks and ease of navigation) but it will be re-presented to match the new (also home designed) graphic of the practice. We hope our regular readers will enjoy the new look!
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