THE National Galleries of Scotland has secured planning permission for the build of a ‘transformational’ Passivhaus facility in the north of Edinburgh.
The Art Works will form part of the wider regeneration of Granton and act as a community space, as well as a conservation, research, and art storage facility.
To be located on a brownfield site west of Madelvic House at Granton Park, the facility is designed with a dual purpose that goes beyond traditional art storage.
Offering an additional 11,000m² of quality space, the facility aims to make a contribution to enhancing the local community for the long term.
The Art Works will be a ‘world class’ home for more than 120,000 works of art to be stored, cared for, conserved, and researched while not on display in a gallery, the National Galleries of Scotland added.
The public will be able to explore, discover, and engage with the art like never before. The building will also be a focal point for community investment, pride and growth.
Inside there will be spaces for public use – including social areas and amenities for visitors’ comfort and enjoyment, such as a community studio, community support space, further education rooms and a Changing Places toilet.
Sustainability is said to be central to the National Gallery of Scotland’s vision for The Art Works. The plans include sustainable building practices which minimise energy impact and provide quality of life opportunities for the local community. As the country’s largest cultural building designed to the Passivhaus standard, it will go beyond what is required by the Scottish Building Standards, the National Gallery of Scotland added.
Alongside enabling the National Galleries of Scotland to develop a ‘vastly improved’ digital offering, the purpose-built facility will deliver a modern environment in which members of the public, colleagues, students and researchers can engage with the art stored there. The historic collection of the Royal Scottish Academy will also be housed in the new building and it will also be home to the Demarco Archive. Outside, there will be activity areas that bring the natural environment to life, including new green routes through to Granton Waterfront.
Previously known as the National Collection Facility, proposals for a building of this kind have been in the early stages of concept development since 2015. Now known as The Art Works, the project aims to bring Scotland’s national art collection into a single, future-proofed location.
The national collection is currently stored across several sites where access and space are ‘extremely limited, logistics are difficult, and conditions are suboptimal’ for enabling the full potential for public access, conservation, and research to be realised. It also means it can be challenging for works to be made available for display and loan.
Sir John Leighton, director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland, said, “We are delighted to have received planning permission for The Art Works. We are committed to continuing work with the council and other strategic partners to play our part in shaping and informing the development of north Edinburgh. Our project has the potential to be a huge catalyst for change in the local community and at national levels. The Art Works will allow National Galleries of Scotland to share its collection much more effectively across the nation and to bring the benefits of art and culture to the widest possible audience.”
