Plan for Edinburgh City Hall - upper gallery

Category

Library Item

Item no

30269

Title

Plan for Edinburgh City Hall (Usher Hall), Synod Hall Site - upper gallery, organ loft etc

Description

This plan is entitled 'Plan of Upper Part of Grand Hall, showing Upper Gallery' and shows seating of the Upper Gallery at the back and the Grand Organ at the front. On either side of the Grand Organ is a staircase, one for the 'artistes'.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1905

Size

29.5 x 23.0 cm

Type

Document

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This 1905 proposal design for a City Hall, using Andrew Usher's gifted money, fronted onto Castle Terrace. It allowed for seating for 3500 people and was designed with both aesthetic and acoustic principals in mind. Besides the main entrances, each of the seven staircases had an external door. All these staircase doors were designed so that they would open outwards and have 'panic bolts' so that there would be 'an ample margin of safety in Exits in the event of any untoward accident leading to alarm or panic'.
There was also ample provision for cloak rooms. The design accommodated for the 'prevailing style of ladies' head dress' and the provision would justify the 'stringent regulation that all hats and bonnets should be left in the Cloak Rooms, so that all attendees could enjoy the performances without a restricted view!
The plan also incorporated a kitchen and scullery in the upper story of the side building so that large parties or banquets could be accommodated. There was ample storage space in the lower levels for when furniture needed to be cleared for 'any special function'.
This building was estimated to cost £78,270, including finishings, fittings and furnishings, but exclusive of organ, sculpture and site. It covered an area of 2897, almost identical in size to the nearby site proposed by Andrew Usher on the opposite side of Castle Terrace extending towards King's Stable Road.

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Related subjects

Places > Edinburgh areas > Lothian Road

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Usher Hall

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Culture > Concert halls

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