Olivia Fauel

The brief for the repurposing of the Scottish Widows building on Dalkeith Road involves the creation of a community gathering space. The programme aims to combine a range of activities and practices which are commonly carried out by the citizens of the Old Town of Edinburgh. By reimagining the building as a site owned by the University of Edinburgh, the location and configuration of the building’s distinct floor plan, Scottish Widows provides a interesting and intriguing opportunity for reinterpretation. The focus on the design is to take advantage of the hexgonal floor plates, modularity, as well as existing and reclaimed materials, to achieve a web of spaces that accommodate a range of activities. These include; creating a multi-storey bicycle and walking ramp, climbing walls, exercise spaces, and play areas. These systems are predominantly products of reclaimed timber boards and panels from reclamation yards from around Scotland. Moreover, by focusing on existing shortcomings in the building’s ventilation, lighting, heating, a new facade design is showcased on the elevations. A double-skin approach, removing the parts of the existing bronze glazing and utilising these in other areas of the building allows for the creation of stack effects throughout the building. The climbing ‘planes’, placed at the center of the floor plan encourage the flow of air through the spaces, moving upwards and exiting via the motorised skylights. Ultimately, the proposal promotes the creation a space that not only brings the people of Edinburgh together, but encourages activity and wellbeing.