View from Roof of New St Andrew's House

Category

Library Item

Item no

41741

Title

Looking towards Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat from the roof of New St Andrew's House

Artist / maker

MacLean, Kevin

Date

2016

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

New St Andrew's House was built as part of the St James Centre development, on the site of the eighteenth century St James Square which was demolished in 1965. The new building was completed in 1970 and occupied for the first time in 1974 by the former Scottish Office. It was closed during 1995-96 and remained empty, partly due to the asbestos which had been used in its construction. As a concrete building in the Brutalist style, with cliff face elevations and unattractive fenestration, it faced substantial public opposition when it was first built, and continued to be a somewhat controversial development.

It was demolished along with the neighbouring St James Centre and Thistle Hotel. John Lewis being the only part of the St James Centre to continue trading throughout the demolition and construction of the new development, designed by Allan Murray Architects. The retail centre, which opened on 24 June 2021, has more than 80 shops, a food hall and a variety of restaurants. A cinema is also due to open, as well as the 12 storey W hotel with its controversial 'ribbon' design, an aparthotel and 152 apartments which are expected to be completed in 2022.
The Dunard Centre concert hall, designed by Sir David Chipperfield, will link the St James Quarter with St Andrew Square when it is completed in 2025.

Calton Hill is situated at the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh. It rises to a height of 108 metres and is one of the city's hills created by volcanic activity. Several monuments stand on the hill. Most prominent amongst these are the Nelson Monument, built in the shape of a telescope, and the unfinished National Monument, modelled on the Parthenon in Athens.

In 1853 the 'Time-Ball' was installed on top of the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill. It drops every day at exactly 1pm, originally to give a time signal to ships in the Firth of Forth. From 1861 onwards this signal was accompanied with the firing of the One O'Clock Gun from Edinburgh Castle.

Dugald Stewart's Monument is located on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. It was erected in 1831 in memory of the Scottish philosopher who died in 1828. As with the National Monument, William H. Playfair drew inspiration for this memorial from Athens, modelling his design on the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates.

Edinburgh's City Observatory is situated on Calton Hill. The central observatory building was designed by W. H. Playfair and completed in 1818. It was built for the Astronomical Institution, founded in 1811-12 with the architect's uncle, John Playfair, as its president. Immediately to the south-west of Playfair's building stands an earlier observatory, now called Observatory House. It was built in the late 18th century for the Leith optician Thomas Short, and was designed by James Craig. The City Dome, a late 19th century addition to the site, stands to the north-east. The observatory is now run by the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh.

The National Monument was intended to be a grand memorial to the Scots killed in the Napoleonic Wars. It was to be a facsimile of the Parthenon in Athens, and would have functioned as a church. The collection of subscriptions began in 1822, and C. R. Cockerell and William H. Playfair were employed to work on the project. Funds were exhausted by 1829, and the monument has remained unfinished, leading to it sometimes being referred to as 'Edinburgh's disgrace'.

Arthur's Seat is the remains of a now extinct volcano which rises 250 metres (823 feet) above Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. Remains of an Iron Age Hill fort were found on the east side of the hill. The origins of the peak's name have been somewhat lost. One theory is that it is a corruption of the gaellic Ard-na-saith, meaning height of arrows, indicating a past usage as a practice place for archery. Arthur's Seat is also known as the Lion's Head.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Roofs

Business > Service industry > Offices

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Arthur's Seat

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Calton Hill

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Dugald Stewart Monument

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Nelson Monument

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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View from roof of New St Andrew's House