Edinburgh and George Square 

Redevelopment at one of the UK’s oldest institutions.

I first visited Edinburgh when I was 18 for the annual arts festival. I’d finished college and on the advice of a friend’s dad, I went that summer. Almost 25 years later, I decided to go back and in January’s darkness, I booked a trip. This time I thought I’d keep my screentime research to a minimum so I’d be pleasantly surprised. My initial scoping did reveal one gem though. Architectrually designed by Sir Basil Spence (1907-1976), and completed in 1967, the University of Edinburgh’s Library Building in the heart of the campus at George Square, in an urban area redeveloped in collaboration with Sir Robert Matthew (1906-1975).

As a square, George Square is a very pleasant one. The kind of place you might while away your lunch hour, meet a friend or colleague, or simply, just sit and ponder your last lecture. The Square borders the Meadows, one of Edinburgh’s largest public parks and a lovely spot for fresh air in the middle of a cosmopolitan city. Architect James Brown (1729-1807) designed much of George Square in 1766, one of the most ambitious developments in the compact city. Located just outside the historic walls, the area quickly became desirable with its proud neo-classical Georgian architecturec and a catalyst for continued change well in to the 1850s.

The University of Edinburgh was founded by Royal Charter in 1582 and is classed as one of Scotland’s four ancient universities with St Andrews (1413), Glasgow (1451) and Aberdeen (1495). Today, there are 35,000 students. Twentieth-century redevelopment was discussed in 1947, when the institution started a programme of expansion with a specific focus to reintegrate departments. South of the Meadows, the planned area included George Square at the core. In 1954, Spence secured the role of Planning Consultant; his first consultancy role in higher education and prior to his widely known work at Sussex. His main responsibility was to create and develop an architectural plan for 50 years of institutional growth. For his scheme to work, everything except the houses on the west side were demolished. These became exempt as Spence saw these as the most interesting and could also house smaller departments.

During this time, the higher education system was undergoing a major transition to cope with a post-war population surge, and to deal with the future demands of an advancing economy. UK politicians were guaranteeing national prosperity with new workforce skills and, from 1960 to 1970, 22 universities became 46, and student numbers more than doubled from just over 100,000 to 220,000. New buildings were essential to securing manageable futute growth. Architectural differentiation started to emerge with influential ideas taken from Europe and America. Lionel Brett (1957) spoke of taxonomy between collegiate and non-collegiate institutions; the University Town, the Planners Precinct and the University in a Garden. Categories that might be viewed as a little specific, ambiguous even, as one might argue that Edinburgh falls across each. By 1960, Spence had stepped back from his planning role due to other projects. Sir Robert Matthew (1906-1975), Edinburgh’s first Professor of Architecture (a post he held until 1968 and which he managed with his private practice RMJM; co-founded with Percy Johnson-Marshall’s brother Stirrat in 1956) continued the campus’ redevelopment. Responsibility then moved to Percy Johnson-Marshall (1915-1993) to ensure that the overall layout, designation of sites, harmonisation of finishes, landscaping, and external works were cohesively finished.

Today’s George Square has matured into a finely considered mix of eighteenth-century classical architecture and twentieth-century Modernism. The use of high-quality materials gives the square a clean and timeless finish. Along with the Library, other stand out buildings include Robert Matthew’s 40 George Square (formerly the David Hume tower), built 1963, and the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre (1970). However, the Library hogs this post! Libraries are intrinsic to the fabric of higher education, as well as communities, societies and the general good of people’s wellbeing. Designed by Spence’s Edinburgh office of Spence, Glover & Fergus and completed in 1967, the Library’s eight storey block is finished in Portland stone and constructed horizontally to represent a bookcase! At the time, the Library was one of the largest in the UK. Inside is still rich with original features such as the beechwood panelling to the foyer and mezzanine, the large central customer service desk, open staircases with thick wooden handrails, original doors and fixtures and floor to ceiling concrete walls and columns. Spence designed much of the interior which also included quaint wooden paper bins with their slightly uneven circular tops and the leather desk study chairs (in conjunction with Arne Jacobsen and Danish brand, Fritz Hansen). Everything you’d hope for in a library, but not so easy to find these days. A treat to visit, even more so if you’re one of students studying in it’s modernist surrounds! Thanks to the kind Library staff for an enjoyable visit.