Architects Sheppard Robson has achieved planning consent for a 180-unit residential project which will reinvigorate a prominent brownfield site on the Water of Leith River in the north of Edinburgh.
The Canonmills Garden development for client Artisan REI will address the adjacent green space and river whilst providing access through the site to The New Town. This has been achieved by configuring the development as four blocks set around a quiet garden square. This tranquil amenity space will provide access to the one, two and three-bedroom apartments as well as the maisonettes and townhouses in the development, which includes a 25% provision for veteran and affordable homes.
Commenting on the project, Adam McGhee partner at Sheppard Robson, said: "We are delighted that our designs have been given the green go-ahead. The project has been designed to have two different characters: the inner courtyard which will be the calm and tranquil heart to the development whilst the perimeter has a definite urban character respecting its location and surrounding townscape."
Clive Wilding property Director of Artisan added: "At Artisan, we design our developments to create added value to users and the community. On this project, we think this will be achieved by the generous provision of landscaped amentiy space, which received very positive feedback during the two public consultations for the scheme."
Sheppard Robson's designs draw on the architectural character of the surrounding historic buildings, carefully considering materiality, scale and proportion. The scheme uses brick throughout, with timber accents and balconies used to soften and articulate the elevations. The brick at ground level uses a variated coursing pattern to define base and middle of the brick elevations.
Giving the design a distinctively contemporary character, the upper elements of the new terraces appear as a single folded shape and are formed of horizontal metal cladding that tonally matches the buildings' brickwork.
The prominent riverside elevation has been stepped to break down the mass of the development, with the variation in form subtly mediating between the differing size buildings at either end of the site. The project also includes a public pedestrian street running from north of south, helping knit the development into its surroundings and also providing a connection through to the city centre.
The WAN Awards Residential category is now open until 30th June.
Click here for more details or email wanawards@haymarket.com
Nick Myall
News editor
