Craighouse Campus Edinburgh

Craighouse Campus Edinburgh
51 acres
Grade A Listed Buildings:
Old Craig
New Craig
Queens Craig
East Craig
South Craig
Bevan Villa
Gatehouse
Learning Resource Centre
Car parking
Local Nature Reserve
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
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Craighouse Campus What are the issues?
Buildings at risk
Why consider change?
The presentation boards, exploring the history of the site, outline how
Craighouse evolved from a residential settlement through to a groundbreaking cluster of private hospital buildings, centred on architect Sydney
Mitchell’s spectacular tour de force, New Craig.
Following decades of continued institutional use, the National
Health Service took the decision to sell the site in 1992, viewing the
accommodation as no longer suitable or appropriate to modern day health
provision.
The buildings will soon be empty and deterioration of building fabric advances rapidly.
It is essential that active use is continued without a period of neglect
Neglected and untended landscape will make safe public
access into the grounds impossible
In response to the NHS relocation strategy, the City of Edinburgh Council
allocated the site for future residential development (South West Edinburgh
Local Plan, adopted 1992). This was deemed to be the most appropriate
alternative use, able to provide sufficient continued income to ensure the
future preservation and maintenance of the landscape and buildings.
Although the transition to residential use was approved and anticipated,
Napier University subsequently acquired the site from the NHS.
The buildings alone are estimated by White Young Green to cost
£730 000 per annum to maintain
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Today, Napier University too have taken the view that the site is no longer
appropriate for continued institutional use. The Grade A listed buildings
have not readily adapted to current teaching standards or to modern
institutional use. The campus has proved increasingly expensive to
maintain, with constant use by over 1000 students and staff taking a heavy
toll on the historic building fabric and landscape.
The status quo is not an option
Craighouse Campus - September 2011
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Craighouse Campus Past solutions for a sustainable future:
Two separate recent proposals for extensive development have been approved by the Council
Preceding development proposals.
The history of Craighouse is one of continued evolution, of buildings and of
landscape.
The diagram below summarises ‘Lost and Unbuilt Buildings’. At the time of
the great Victorian hospital development, various alternative building layout
and configurations were considered. Subsequent hospital expansion was
planned towards the south east corner of the site.
In 1992, with hospital use no longer viable, the City of Edinburgh Council Development Brief
(extract top right), illustrated areas within the grounds allocated for residential development
(annotated A, B and C). Extensive areas of building were approved over much of the south eastern
landscape (marked B), at the highest, most visible plot (marked C), and within an area of existing
woodland to the north (marked A)
In May 2002, the Napier University Scottish Centre for Creative Industries
was granted planning consent (illustrated right). Similar in concept to the
business school built at the adjacent Craiglockhart Campus (illustrated
left), this major development inserted a large scale, multi storey building
immediately adjacent the southern flank of New Craig, alongside extensive
reconfiguration of mature trees and landscape. Napier’s ultimate adoption
of an alternative estates strategy saw the expansion of the Sighthill Campus
in preference to Craighouse, prior to conclusion of legal agreements and
consequent construction of the development on site.
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus
Today, we believe residential is the use that delivers most benefits and ensures a sustainable long term future for the buildings and grounds.
Craighouse Limited acquired the site in early 2011 through an open tendering
process, although Napier University still retain a financial interest in the site.
Since then a number of alternative uses have been considered, including hotel
and care home providers, but no institutional use was able to make a viable
economic case. Had either been viable, hotel or care home use would have
involved substantial privatisation of the grounds to the severe detriment of
continued public access.
We believe residential use will deliver the most benefits: - provide a secure
long term future for listed buildings
- improve the landscape context
- retain and enhance continued public access
- impose fewer people onto both the site and surroundings
- be an appropriate fit with the surrounding residential context
- compliments maintenance of woodland and landscape
Although the housing market is currently depressed, the regeneration of
Craighouse is a long-term project. The University intend to decant in phases,
which allows a gradual transition, which in turn allows us to achieve, over time,
the highest quality residential development within this unique and inspiring
setting, attractive to new and existing, neighbouring residents.
We believe residential use remains the most suitable and appropriate future
for the buildings and grounds.
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus
We have engaged for the last 6 months with internationally renowned designers to explore myriad new options and opportunities
John MacAslan
proposed a low rise
redevelopment of the
sloping south east
corner, in line with the
previous development
brief
Eric Parry proposed a series of blocks rising up
the south east hillside, culminating in towers
breaking through the skyline
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The Sydney Mitchell hospital buildings were a striking contemporary addition to the
Edinburgh skyline when they appeared at the turn of the Century. Their monumental scale
and massing changed forever the hillside seen from both near and far.
We approached some of the country’s leading architects (the Sydney Mitchell’s of today)
who we commissioned to appraise, reinterpret and imagine. Our brief was entirely open.
What would be appropriate, stimulating, contextual. How to build, today, the Grade A listed
buildings of tomorrow.
Michael Squire
proposed
vertical towers
echoing the
monumental scale
of New Craig
Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus. Our current thinking - Landscape led.
We propose a strategy of contextual development led by world renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie together with 3 leading architectural practices
The current proposed development strategy
is best explained by the draft
Craighouse Landscape Concept Plan.
Conceived by Kim Wilkie, world renowned
landscape architect, the proposed layout
addresses areas where we believe the
landscape succeeds, where it could be
significantly enhanced, and where it
currently fails.
New tree lined avenues, on entrance
addressing New Craig
Simpler road layout
with significantly less tarmac,
more landscape
A woodland management plan to
restore the woodland habitat.
Securing the long term future of the
woodland and landscape amenity for all
Creating a modern landscape of design
and vision appropriate and equal to
the vision and grandeur of the Grade A
Listed buildings
Removal of the Learning
Resource Centre
Oberlanders Architects, Edinburgh
Simpson & Brown Architects, Edinburgh
Ben Pentreath, Working Group Architects, London
Detailed building design will be presented for comment, when developed further, at the next public consultation event in October or November this year
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus. Our current thinking.
Craighouse will need sufficient residents to ensure that it can be financially self-sustaining for the foreseeable future
Density of Development & Number of Dwellings Proposed
The need for Enabling Development
Craighouse Partnership have undertaken preliminary research into the historical running costs of the campus, informed by data
from Napier University.
- estimated running costs of the buildings today is £730 000 per annum
- estimated running cost of site (after development and extensive repair
to the buildings) is £435 000 per annum
- estimated maximum service charge is £2000 per annum per dwelling
- estimated required development circa 200 dwellings (300 000sq.ft)
including existng Listed Buildings
Napier University have provided us with various historic budgets for the site, including one showing historic costs of c. £150k per
annum. However we understand that this budget does not include some items which were paid for from more central University
budgets (e.g. lifetime boiler replacements, insurance, work by in-house teams) and also does not necessarily reflect the full lifecycle costs of the site moving forward (e.g. future replacement of M&E).
White Young Green compiled a 25 year Life Cycle Cost Study for Napier University which estimated the future capital costs of the
buildings at £18.3m over the next 25 years (or £730,000 p.a.) excluding inflation
We calculate that by redeveloping the site and repairing the listed buildings as an early part of the development, the long-term
running costs of the site (including improved landscape and amenity) can be reduced to c. £435,000 p.a. (which includes a
sinking fund for longer term future repairs)
Residential service charges in Edinburgh range from £1.00-£1.50/net square foot
(eg. Quartermile is £1.50/net square foot).
Given the high quality of residential we wish to achieve, we believe we can charge at the higher end of this range, which implies
that we require c. 300,000 net square feet of residential (or c. 200 dwellings) on the site (including the existing buildings) to ensure
a sustainable income and future for the landscape and listed buildings.
Development Density
300,000 net square feet across the site gives a density of c. 6,000 net square feet / acre which is low when compared to other
schemes across Edinburgh.
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus. Our current thinking.
This is where we propose to locate the required new dwellings.
We propose enabling development only on existing brownfield sites or on areas previously allocated for development
Reconfiguration of the existing boiler house coal
stores. Single storey to the street, stepping down
to follow to contours of the site. Highly discrete
with no visual impact when viewed from the North.
Removal of the existing redundant boiler house
and adjacent ‘hair pin’ service road. Fully
integrated new landscaped courtyard serving the
North Western corner of New Craig, framed by a
proposed 3 or 4 storey corner pavilion, subservient
to the scale and massing of New Craig.
Low lying (primarily 2 storey) traditional
steading type housing arranged around
a central landscaped courtyard garden
with car parking on existing car park area
and area previously allocated for 4 storey
development in the 1992 Development Brief.
Anticipated three 3-storey houses on
existing car park, arranged around a
green central courtyard.
The LRC will be removed.Traditional terrace of 3 storey houses with rear mews,
accessed via Craiglea Place, with formal frontage framing the landscape proposals, all
on a reduced footprint to that previously approved for development up to 4 storeys.
Pavilion, 3 or 4 storey
apartments, embedded
in the landscape,
addressing a new avenue
of trees from the existing
gatehouse in the area
previously approved for
major development.
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus. Our current thinking.
The existing Listed Buildings can be returned to domestic use.
They were designed originally as institutional residential accommodation.
New Craig, above, although monumental in scale, was
planned as a series of domestically scaled rooms and
apartments. Existing vertical circulation (stairs and lifts,
indicated below) inform the natural subdivision into
comfortably sized, manageable apartments.
Indicative layouts show how the existing building readily
converts, with very minor alterations, into a rich and varied
mix of apartments
Conversion of the existing Listed buildings
Designed originally as institutional residential homes the existing listed
buildings lend themselves readily to conversion into a wide and varied
range of residential apartments. The majority of rooms within buildings are
domestic in scale and detail, with fireplaces, cornices and character often
surviving previous conversion. Existing period details and features will be
retained and enhanced.
Existing circulation within the buildings, in particular New Craig, will inform
sensitive future sub division. We anticipate a wide and varied mix of
apartments, each designed to fully integrate period features, aligned with
external views and orientation. The Great Hall within New Craig will remain
as a shared, useful space, central to the new community.
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Main
Entrance
The Great Hall
Pivotal to future community life
Craighouse Campus - September 2011
Craighouse Campus. Consultation Questions
Access and roadways.
The proposals raise a number of questions. We welcome any
comments and considered opinion to inform and direct future
development.
Listed below are a number of key issues currently under
consideration:
1. Entrance from Craighouse Road.
We propose a realigned entrance comprising a formal avenue
of trees from gate to the entrance court of New Craig. Visually
this connects with the Spire of Morningside Parish Church,
connecting Craighouse and Community.
With students no longer entering the grounds, the existing
bus service will be re-routed to stop short of the Craighouse
grounds. This will allow the new entrance gate to be more
appropriately designed, the control barrier removed, and the
existing breach through the boundary wall tobe repaired. The
proposed new vehicular entrance will be further north then
existing.
Do you agree with this realignment?
2. Access from Craiglea Place
We propose to take access for a small number of new houses from the
existing access along Craiglea Place. The new configuration will remain
as a cul de sac serving only housing with no onward connection. Once
inside the grounds, our preference is to enhance and upgrade the existing
unsurfaced access track into a slightly wider shared surface roadway and
path, fully landscaped with grass verges and enhanced tree planting. The
alternative strategy is to leave the existing track untouched, and build a
completely separate new access running parallel, to the North, again fully
integrated into the landscape.
Do you have a preference for integration or separation?
3. Materials
The proposed internal access strategy aims to significantly reduce the
extent of tarmac within the grounds. We also seek to make the roadways
as visually discrete as possible with appropriate surfaces, with grass verges
rather than kerbs etc.
Would you support this strategy?
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
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Craighouse Campus. Consultation Questions
Landscape and woodland.
Landscape
Public Access is maintained and indeed embraced. Landscape
maintenance and management will be funded by the future residents.
The landscape strategy is cohesive and bold.
4. Do you support the reconfiguration of the south east
landscape into the sculptural landform (the wave) or would you
prefer it to remain simply as existing?
5. We propose to create a new tree lined entrance avenue focused on
and appropriate in scale and grandeur to New Craig. Old Craig would
then nestle more comfortably within the landscape.
Do you agree that the entrance approach should be realigned to
New Craig, rather than Old Craig as existing?
Etching showing gates and Lime tree avenue
6. The woodland and treescape has varied significantly over time.
Would you support removal of the trees to the south of
New Craig and a return to an open, recreational garden
landscape, as illustrated in the photograph below?
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1: Old Craig and associated features such as entrance avenue and
gardens can be identified. The rest of the site is divided by planted ‘field
boundary’ lines, dividing it into six main areas. Other features include a
quarry in the north east corner.
1: Between 1 and 1, the main development is the introduction
of Queen’s Craig, New Craig, South Craig, Bevan and East Craig. There
is also development of the planted boundaries to the south and south east
of the site.
12: The main change since 1 is the continued development and
introduction of woodland planting across the site. Other structures such
as the curling pond and boiler houses to the north of New Craig have
been introduced. Networks of paths and roads have also been further
developed.
10: Again, the landscape structure of the site has been
developed since recorded in 12. Most notably, the structuring
and resultant intensity of use of the open area to the south east of
the site, and the infill woodland planting to the south west.
Craighouse Campus - September 2011
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Craighouse Campus. Consultation Questions
Landscape and woodland.
7. Built form.
In parallel with the designed landscape, new buildings will be of
exemplary quality in both design and material specification. All the
existing buildings were striking and contemporary for the time.
A Century later, do you prefer traditional or modern buildings in
the context of the listed buildings?
8. Development Plots
Although we are not indicating this, would you support
development within the woodland areas, as part of a wider
landscaping strategy?
9 Existing Learning Resource CentreDo you support demolition
of this building?
10. Learning Resource Centre. If so, would you support its
replacement with flatted apartments?
11. Community Woodland
Although part of the private landholding, the woodland nature
reserve could be placed in community ownership.
Do you think more of the publicly accessible woodland be
handed over to community ownership and management?
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Craighouse Campus - September 2011
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