Scottish Storytelling Centre
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Historic John Knox house and existing Netherbow Arts Centre combined to form a home for the Scottish Storytelling Forum and its networks
The Scottish Storytelling Centre is situated on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town, in the conservation heartland of the World Heritage Site.
The Royal Mile facade is composed of three distinct elements. The rendered, regularly punctured elevation is all that remains of the original Netherbow Arts Centre. The existing pitched roof has been masked by extending up the parapet wall.
The foyer opens to the High Street and a further stepped entrance to one side; on the other, it connects with an enclosed court via a café. The court is a double-height space that is top-lit. The original theatre has been reconfigured and redesigned to create an intimate venue; the spoken word, unamplified, was a primary aim of the brief.
Douglas fir is used throughout the interiors either as veneered panels or solid strips. These mellow surfaces are complemented by simple white painted planes.
Data
- Begun: Oct 2003
- Completed: May 2006
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £2.6M
- Tender date: Apr 2003
- Procurement: Scottish Building Contract with Contractor Designed Portion Sectional Completion Edition with Quantities May 1999 Edition with amendment TC/94 and as amended by Section A20 of the Preliminaries Bill
- Address: 43-45 High Street, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: Malcolm Fraser Architects
- Project architect: Malcolm Fraser
- Client: The Church of Scotland, Mission and Discipleship Council
- Structural engineer: Elliott & Company
- Main contractor: Watson Construction
- Building services engineer: En-Consult
- Quantity surveyor: Morham & Brotchie
- Lighting design: Kevan Shaw Lighting Design
- Theatre Design: Andrew Storer
- Acoustic design: Robin Mackenzie Partnership
Suppliers
- Stonework: Watson Stonecraft
- Steel stairs and balustrading: WHM Engineering