Mr Cumming told The Edinburgh Reporter : “What I love most about this design is the way wHY and their team have managed to capture and celebrate Edinburgh’s subterranean architectural past, as well as make Princes Street Gardens into a beautiful landscaped community space for the 21st Century.”
The winning design has yet to be finalised in detail, but it is inspired by the gardens’ geology and history, and the theme for the pavilion itself is the butterfly. Mark Thomann of wHy explained that the word pavilion and papillon or butterfly are all connected and this gave the team some inspiration.
Mark Thomann, wHY’s Landscape Design Director, said:
“This is a special opportunity for a special place, not just for Edinburgh but the world. The new Ross Pavilion and Gardens draw from the rich natural history, heritage and creative spirit of Scotland, embodying a model approach for integrating public architecture and urban space in a top global city. Our team looks forward to realising this vision with the Ross Development Trust and the people of Edinburgh.”
The team described it as ‘human scale with moments of drama… activating four layers of meaning within the Gardens: botanical, civic, commemorative and cultural.’
The jury decided unanimously on the winner and said they were particularly taken with wHY’s design as it is a ‘beautiful and intensely appealing proposal that complemented, but did not compete with, the skyline of the City and the Castle’.
The plan is to create a newly refreshed community space aiming to make it a welcome area for use during future festivals.
Norman Springford, Competition Jury Chair, was delighted with the whole process. He said:
“As is always the case with initiatives of this size and stature, the jury had a hard job! We are confident however that we have a winning concept that embodies an imaginative ensemble landscape approach, creating a wonderful stage for our iconic Edinburgh Castle. In addition, the design concept offers a creative energy and a series of unique elements which will all combine to create a new and contemporary landscape.
“We thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the shortlisted teams and understanding each approach. However with wHY, they demonstrated an impressive collaboration which respects and enhances the historical context and backdrop of the Castle and the City, whilst creating new heritage and increasing the green space within the Gardens. All of which were key aspects for us all and respected the importance of the space within a World Heritage Site.”
· wHY (USA) with GRAS, Groves-Raines Architects, Arup, O Street, Creative Concern, Noel Kingsbury, Yann Kersalé Studio, Lawrence Barth, Stuco, Alan Cumming, Aaron Hicklin, Alison Watson, Peter Ross, Adrian Turpin and Beatrice ColinwHY is an interdisciplinary design practice dedicated to serving the arts, communities, culture and the environment since 2004. Led by founder and creative director Kulapat Yantrasast and landscape design director Mark Thomann, wHY is a collective of architects, landscape designers, makers and strategic thinkers, who work as four independent yet interconnected workshops; ideas, buildings, grounds and objects.With offices in Los Angeles and New York, wHY’s 30 team members and network of experts share a commitment to collaboration. wHY has assembled a team of thought leaders and creative influencers, including engineers, designers, plant-lovers, graphic designers, writers, journalists, actors, artists, and activists who are passionate about Scotland and participating in the conversation for the future of the Ross Pavilion. Recent projects include the widely published Speed Art Museum in Louisville, KY and Skylanding with Yoko Ono, in the historic Olmsted designed Jackson Park in Chicago, IL.
wHY will now work with the Trust, the Council and other stakeholders, and consult with the public, to take forward the project to revitalise this space, positioned just below Edinburgh Castle and adjoining Princes Street.
- Norman Springford, Jury Chair
- Ada Yvars Bravo, Director, MYAA Architects
- Sir Mark Jones FSA, FRSE, Former Director of the National Museums of Scotland and the V&A
- Andrew Kerr, CEO, City of Edinburgh Council
- Riccardo Marini, Director, Gehl Architects
- Alexander McCall Smith CBE, FRSE, Writer
- Malcolm Reading (Hon) FRGS, FRSA, Architect and Competition Director
- Adam Wilkinson, Director, Edinburgh World Heritage
- Donald Wilson, Convenor for Culture and Communities, City of Edinburgh Council
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
