The groundbreaking ceremony at the Dunard Centre, the first concert hall to be built in Edinburgh for a century, was held on Monday.
The First Minister John Swinney did the honours to mark the beginning of the construction phase in St Andrew Square. The Scottish Government topped up the funding for the building recently allowing this phase to proceed.
Representatives of the UK Government, City of Edinburgh Council, David Chipperfield Architects, Balfour Beatty and NatWest Group to mark the start of a four-year construction programme. Guests also enjoyed musical performances on the site, with singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean singing his iconic ‘Caledonia’ with children from nearby Broughton Primary School, and Finlay MacDonald, Director at The National Piping Centre, playing as part of the ceremony.
Mr Swinney said: “It’s a privilege to break ground and mark the start of construction of the Dunard Centre. The ‘Hall for All’ is a prime example of public and private investors coming together to invest in exciting, innovative projects that will help to grow our economy and significantly enhance Scotland’s cultural offering.
“Jo Buckley was part of the Scottish delegation to attend Tartan Week in New York with me earlier this year and spoke at the iconic Carnegie Hall. Partnerships were fostered and strengthened by this visit and it’s been a pleasure to once again address an audience of Scotland’s leading cultural and arts stakeholders as we prepare to start building this exciting new venue.”
UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill attended on behalf of the UK Government. She said: “The Dunard Centre will be a tremendous addition to Edinburgh’s cultural landscape and I welcome construction getting underway. The UK Government is a big supporter of the project, investing £10 million as part of our £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
“We look forward to continued close working with the Hall for All’s partners so that local communities and visitors from around the world can enjoy such a world class facility as soon as possible. The UK Government is investing more than £2 billion in dozens of important local and regional projects the length and breadth of Scotland over 10 years, bringing much-needed economic and community renewal.”
The hall is designed by David Chipperfield Architects and Reiach and Hall architects, with new public walkways opened up between St James Quarter and St Andrew Square as part of the project.
The Dunard Centre will be the first concert hall designed by Sir David Chipperfield. Speaking at the ceremony, the renowned architect said “We are deeply honoured to have been selected to design this new cultural building in the historic heart of Edinburgh. We look forward to the concert hall becoming a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s cultural life and finding its place in the city’s extraordinary architectural and urban heritage”.
NatWest Chief Executive Paul Thwaite spoke about the bank’s support of the project, saying: “At the Royal Bank of Scotland, we are proud to partner in building a world-class facility here in the heart of Edinburgh. Seeing the Dunard Centre move from vision to reality is a testament to what ambition and collaboration can achieve. This world-class concert hall will be a huge asset to Edinburgh’s cultural life that will attract audiences from across the UK and further afield. We look forward to continuing to support this landmark project.”
Hannah, Marlow and Francesca P6 pupils from Broughton Primary School join Musician Dougie MacLean. All photos Ian Georgeson
The Dunard Centre’s chief executive, Jo Buckley, thanked politicians and other guests for attending the groundbreaking ceremony and spoke about her personal focus on ensuring the venue plays a key role in enriching the lives of people across the city.
She said “Today’s performances offered a glimpse of the breadth and calibre of talent the Dunard Centre will bring to Edinburgh.
“It is hard to build a concert hall — but important things are never easy. And what we are building here is not just a concert hall. It is a commitment to people and to community and to the transformational power of culture, which we believe really does change lives.”
“This venue will truly be a ‘Hall for All’, creating an open, accessible, and welcoming space in the heart of the city. It will be a place where Scotland’s musical legends will inspire the next generation of artists, giving children their first encounter with a concert hall and allowing them to feel the electricity that comes from live performance.
“I want to thank everyone who attended today for being part of this important moment for the project, and for their continued support. Reaching this key milestone has been made possible thanks to a unique partnership between government and private philanthropy, the product of which will be a world-class venue that Scotland can be proud of.”
Located behind the RBS building at 36 St Andrew Square, the 1000-seater venue will host all types of music – from pop and rock, to classical, folk and jazz – as well as providing a permanent home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and a new venue for the Edinburgh International Festival.
