High Rise Housing Development at Sighthill

Category

Library Item

Item no

24071

Title

High Rise Housing Development at Sighthill, Glenalmond Court, Weir Court, Hermiston Court

Description

Three tall tower blocks are pictured against the sky. The high-rise flats are two-tone and have flat roofs and many small windows. There are tall street lamps around the bottom of the buildings and a tall fence encloses the site. A bus has stopped within the enclosure at the base of the nearest tower block.

Artist / maker

Crudens Ltd.

Date

1967

Size

20.2 x 25.3 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Sighthill is a suburban area of south west Edinburgh. The areas surrounding Sighthill are the Gyle, Wester Broom, Broomhouse and Wester Hailes. Its architectural landscape has been defined by its prominent high rise buildings, which were demolished in September 2011. It is believed that the prefab buildings were constructed on a field by a Farmer Gray. The housing within Sighthill initially consisted of rented housing. The Sighthill youth and community centre was opened in November 1968 and has been an important community hub since, though it now exists in Gate 55. At the time of writing, Sighthill's library has also been relocated to Gate 55, where it sits alongside a Stevenson College computer centre. Sighthill's medical practice was originally built in the 1940s and was considered ahead of its time. It was transferred to new premises c. 1993. SIghthill is also notable for the academic campuses situated there; there is a Napier University campus as well as a Stevenson College campus. As well as the forthcoming new builds to replace the high rises, Sighthill's attractiveness will be increased, as it will be accessible by the tramlines in the future.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Homes > Residential buildings > Flats

Homes > Residential buildings > Tower blocks

Places > Edinburgh areas > Sighthill

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh