Edinburgh
5 Forres Street
Edinburgh, EH3 6DE
Glasgow
83a Candleriggs
Glasgow, G1 1LF
Manchester
11 York Street
Manchester, M2 2AW

Lochrin Square

A Strategic Role in the Redevelopment of Fountainbridge

Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street, focusing on the historical building with a Loudons cafe on the ground floor

Incorporating the Category B Listed former Scotmid HQ, Lochrin Square re-instates urban fabric to this long-overlooked part of Edinburgh.

  • Location Fountainbridge, Edinburgh
  • Client Gladedale Capital Ltd
  • Status Complete
  • Services Architecture
  • Size 130,000 sq ft
  • Photography Alan McAteer / Paul Zanre

Redevelopment Opportunity

Following the successful construction of the adjacent Edinburgh Quay, clients Scotmid identified the opportunity to redevelop their HQ building to support the ongoing regeneration of the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh.

The outside of the original building with includes additions from different eras and uses

The original building comprised additions from different eras and uses.

The building site prior to development with a carpark in front of the buildings

A gap site left an undefined street edge.

The original bakery building featured an attractive curved brick wall, taking around sunset

The original bakery building featured an attractive curved brick wall.

A double wooden door with windows leading to the original Scotmid HQ prior to development

The original Scotmid HQ.

Incorporating Heritage Buildings

However, successfully incorporating the existing historical buildings presented a challenge. These included the Category B listed former Scotmid Headquarters, a Victorian building dating from the 1880s which marries the vernacular and the Scottish Baronial.

Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street, standing opposite the historical building with a Loudons cafe on the ground floor
Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street on the other side - showcasing how the historical building has been incorporated into the newer building design
Taken from the outside, showcasing the historical building incorporated into the newer building. The outer walls of the new building are lined with windows

Design Approach

The two new office buildings were designed to wrap around behind the existing stone building onto Fountainbridge. This affords the existing façade respect and room to breathe within the surrounding dense urban fabric.

These four-storey buildings provide 130,000 sq ft of office and restaurant space.

The rebuilt brick wall of the old bakery building

The re-built brick wall.

An elevational line drawing of a building.

Original Planning Drawing.

A large boardroom in Lochrin Square - two windows to the left with wooden frames, wooden doors on the wall perpendicular with a boarded up fireplace with a wooden mantle between. Wood panelling covers half the white wall around the room

The re-instated board room.

Conservation Strategy

As part of the conservation strategy, the most historically important parts of the original building were identified and incorporated into the fabric of the new. For example, the boardroom was carefully taken down, restored and replaced within the new building.

And the original brick wall from the Old Bakery to the north, which is curved to follow the shape of the Union Canal route, was rebuilt using specially made imperial bricks.

A pathway between several buildings in Lochrin Square at night
An traditional Scottish building in Lochin Square with towers, with the bottom floor windows being boarded up.
Taken from the outside, a building in Lochrin Square lined with windows on the outer wall connected to a historical building
Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street showing the curved side of one building with lots of windows, the other incorporating the historical building with a Loudons cafe on the ground floor
An open plan level of a building in Lochin Square with visibility towards upper floors when stood in the centre - upper floors have windows lining the inner walls
An empty, newly refurbished room.
The outside of the original building with includes additions from different eras and uses

The original building comprised additions from different eras and uses.

1
The building site prior to development with a carpark in front of the buildings

A gap site left an undefined street edge.

2
The original bakery building featured an attractive curved brick wall, taking around sunset

The original bakery building featured an attractive curved brick wall.

3
A double wooden door with windows leading to the original Scotmid HQ prior to development

The original Scotmid HQ.

4
Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street, standing opposite the historical building with a Loudons cafe on the ground floor 5
Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street on the other side - showcasing how the historical building has been incorporated into the newer building design 6
Taken from the outside, showcasing the historical building incorporated into the newer building. The outer walls of the new building are lined with windows 7
The rebuilt brick wall of the old bakery building

The re-built brick wall.

8
An elevational line drawing of a building.

Original Planning Drawing.

9
A large boardroom in Lochrin Square - two windows to the left with wooden frames, wooden doors on the wall perpendicular with a boarded up fireplace with a wooden mantle between. Wood panelling covers half the white wall around the room

The re-instated board room.

10
A pathway between several buildings in Lochrin Square at night 11
An traditional Scottish building in Lochin Square with towers, with the bottom floor windows being boarded up. 12
Taken from the outside, a building in Lochrin Square lined with windows on the outer wall connected to a historical building 13
Lochrin Square buildings taken from across the street showing the curved side of one building with lots of windows, the other incorporating the historical building with a Loudons cafe on the ground floor 14
An open plan level of a building in Lochin Square with visibility towards upper floors when stood in the centre - upper floors have windows lining the inner walls 15
An empty, newly refurbished room. 16

Related projects

The outside of the building taken from across the street

Former Tynecastle High School

Village View Residential

A reception area with black text on the wall saying 'Freetrade', a desk wrapped by navy blue cladding, a bench area which has an oak base with blue decor, and a set of black stairs behind the desk.

Freetrade Exchange

View all projects