AN Edinburgh sports centre and a primary school in Morningside, both designed by Holmes Miller, are in the running for a top architectural award.
Meadowbank Sports Centre and Canaan Lane Primary School are both shortlisted in the ‘Large Project’ category of the Edinburgh Architectural Association awards.
The new £47 million Meadowbank sports centre, which opened in the summer, boasts two multi-sport halls, a gym, outdoor athletics track and stand, two synthetic pitches, a hospitality suite, and a café.
The centre has been described as a ‘catalyst’ for the wider regeneration of the Meadowbank area, in line with City of Edinburgh Council’s ambitions to cut carbon emissions while improving the health and wellbeing of residents.
The £14 million, 462-pupil Canaan Lane Primary School, which opened in August and includes a nursery, is set in the Grange conservation area. The school responds to its conservation area setting with a stone and corten steel natural palette of materials and ‘carefully balanced’ geometry. The design, which was developed considering feedback from the building users and local community, includes outdoor learning areas and flexible spaces between classrooms.
Ian Cooney, project director at Holmes Miller and lead architect on Meadowbank, said, “The sports centre and the school were designed with local communities and the environment in mind, so it’s fantastic that both buildings have been recognised for their design credentials. Rebuilding Meadowbank has ensured the facility is fit for purpose in a net zero world, and can continue to host and train generations of athletes for many decades to come.”
Clara Garriga, project director at Holmes Miller and lead architect on Canaan Lane Primary, commented, “Canaan Lane Primary was designed with input from the people who will be using the building, which is so important. It will provide a variety of teaching opportunities that will allow children to learn in different ways, both indoors and outdoors, and have a lot of fun while doing it.”
The two projects are up against the Great Tapestry of Scotland Gallery and the Greyfriars Charteris Centre. The award winner will be announced on 27 October.
