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After a months-long search in finding the right architect to build a landmark pavilion on the grounds of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, interdisciplinary design practice wHY has unanimously been selected over six other shortlisted teams. The Ross Development Trust and the City of Edinburgh Council announced the results of the international design competition on Tuesday, praising the US-based firm for its organic landscaped-focused vision.
The £25 million Ross Pavilion and West Princes Street Gardens project initially attracted 125 submissions from 22 different countries. Shortlisted teams were then asked to submit their concepts for a new events pavilion, a visitor centre with a cafe, and improvements to the surrounding property which sits in the shadow of the majestic Edinburgh Castle. The pavilion will provide the city's vibrant arts community with a platform to publicly display a wide range of cultural programming all year round.
wHY's scheme uses the topographic slopes and verdant geography of the site to its advantage by proposing an undulating promenade and sculptural seating benefitting from open views. The visitor centre and butterfly-like pavilion visually fold into the landscape, retaining Edinburgh Castle's position as the crowning beacon of the area. The jury commended the team for a design that "complemented, but did not compete with, the skyline of the city and the castle."
"We have seen some of the most influential architects and landscapers join forces to compete to design the new Ross Pavilion. The huge international interest in the competition is testament to Edinburgh's standing as one of the world's most beautiful and creative settings for live performance," said Councillor David Wilson, Edinburgh's Culture and Communities Convener. "All of the shortlisted teams put forward fantastic ideas but wHY's Butterfly concept received the jury's collective support. The chosen design makes the most of the natural surroundings of Princes Street Gardens and focuses on connecting people to the city, the stage and the view of Edinburgh Castle."
The other shortlisted teams were led by Adjaye Associates; Bjarke Ingels Group; Flanagan Lawrence; Page/Park Architects, West 8 Landscape Architects and BuroHappold Engineering; Reiulf Ramstad Arkiteckter; and William Matthews Associates and Sou Fujimoto Architects. The winning team also includes Edinburgh-based design studio GRAS, Groves-Raines Architects, Arup, O Street, Creative Concern, Noel Kingsbury, Studio Yann Kersalé, Lawrence Barth, Stuco, Alan Cumming, Aaron Hicklin, Alison Watson, Peter Ross, Adrian Turpin and Beatrice Colin.
