Edinburgh University: McEwan Hall
Record shot of the front of the McEwan graduation hall showing the setting in the square prior to the 2015 redevelopment.
The square opened in 1983 to mark the quatercentenary of the University of Edinburgh (founded 1583). Although treated as a public open space for most of the year, the university has customarily rented it out during the Edinburgh fringe festival. At other times it has been an unofficial skateboarding park for teenagers.
The square was designed by the architectural practice headed by Prof. Percy Johnson-Marshall (1915-1993) who held the chair of urban design and regional planning at the University of Edinburgh. It was part of the 1962 plan to create a civic space to replace Bristo Street, realigning Potterrow and Lothian Street in the process. Consulting engineers were Jamieson, MacKay & Partners. (Plans and photographs held by the university library in The Percy Johnson-Marshall Collection www.archives.lib.ed.ac.uk/catalogue/cs/viewcat.pl?id=PJM-....
The McEwan Hall was designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson between 1888 and 1897 in an Italian Renaissance style. It is the University of Edinburgh's graduation hall and can seat 2000. It was paid for by Sir William McEwan of the Edinburgh brewing firm, who was also an MP for Central Edinburgh.
In 2013 the university announced plans to spend £34m on improvements to the McEwan Hall and Bristo Square. www.ed.ac.uk/estatesprojects/central-area/live-capital-pr...
"Designed by LDN and Buro Happold this scheme is designed to restore the A listed Robert Rowan Anderson building to its former glory whilst enhancing accessibility and increasing capacity."
www.urbanrealm.com/news/4305/University_of_Edinburgh_subm...
Work is due to be completed in time for the summer 2017 graduations at a cost of £33 million.
Photo of the McEwan Hall area in 1900: canmore.org.uk/collection/1200654
Edinburgh University: McEwan Hall
Record shot of the front of the McEwan graduation hall showing the setting in the square prior to the 2015 redevelopment.
The square opened in 1983 to mark the quatercentenary of the University of Edinburgh (founded 1583). Although treated as a public open space for most of the year, the university has customarily rented it out during the Edinburgh fringe festival. At other times it has been an unofficial skateboarding park for teenagers.
The square was designed by the architectural practice headed by Prof. Percy Johnson-Marshall (1915-1993) who held the chair of urban design and regional planning at the University of Edinburgh. It was part of the 1962 plan to create a civic space to replace Bristo Street, realigning Potterrow and Lothian Street in the process. Consulting engineers were Jamieson, MacKay & Partners. (Plans and photographs held by the university library in The Percy Johnson-Marshall Collection www.archives.lib.ed.ac.uk/catalogue/cs/viewcat.pl?id=PJM-....
The McEwan Hall was designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson between 1888 and 1897 in an Italian Renaissance style. It is the University of Edinburgh's graduation hall and can seat 2000. It was paid for by Sir William McEwan of the Edinburgh brewing firm, who was also an MP for Central Edinburgh.
In 2013 the university announced plans to spend £34m on improvements to the McEwan Hall and Bristo Square. www.ed.ac.uk/estatesprojects/central-area/live-capital-pr...
"Designed by LDN and Buro Happold this scheme is designed to restore the A listed Robert Rowan Anderson building to its former glory whilst enhancing accessibility and increasing capacity."
www.urbanrealm.com/news/4305/University_of_Edinburgh_subm...
Work is due to be completed in time for the summer 2017 graduations at a cost of £33 million.
Photo of the McEwan Hall area in 1900: canmore.org.uk/collection/1200654