Basic Site Details
| Name: | Western General Hospital, Radiotherapeutic Institute |
| City or county: | Edinburgh |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Parish: | |
| Status: | |
| Grid ref: | |
| Notes: | awarded the RIBA Architecture Bronze Medal and Diploma as a building of outstanding merit erected in Scotland, 1950-1956 on L-shaped site to the east of the existing hospital - linked to the existing hospital 'accomodates 110 beds for cancer patients, a range of X-ray diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, a follow-up out-patient departmen, operating theatre suite for radium application, a group of research laboratories and dining areas for staff and patients.' 'The northmost wing of the building contains the department of bio-chemistry research, the radium operating theatre suite, and radio-active working areas where special precautions were taken.' 'materials used in construction...Gables were faced with Blaxter stone and the panel infill between windows was Broughton Moor Green Slate. In selected areas there is mahogany vertical boarding [and] a plum-coloured brick' 'no finance was available for sculpture, although this was included in the original conception' per Builder pp99-101 |
Building Type Classification
| The building is classified under the following categories: | |||
| Classification | Original classification? | Notes | |
 | Medical | ||
Events
| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | ||||
| From | To | Event type | Notes | |
| 7 March 1952 * | Scheme accepted | Warrant granted at Edinburgh Dean of Guild Court for erection of £240,000 (estimated ) institute - plans by unnamed 'chief architect' of 6 Cambridge Street (this is John Holt) | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
People
Design and Construction
| The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | ||||||
| Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | |
| William Ritchie Wellwood | Architect in Charge per Builder p99 | ||||
| John Holt | 1952 | As Chief Architect of the South East Regional Hospital Board | |||
| South East Regional Hospital Board, Architect's Department (or South Eastern Hospital Board) | A | 1952 | With John Holt as Chief Architect | ||
Clients
| The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | ||
| Name | Notes | |
| Secretary of State for Scotland | 1952 scheme |
References
Bibliographic References
| The following books contain references to this building: | ||||||
| Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | |
| Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M | 1984 | Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) | Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd | p531 | |
| Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p28 | |
Periodical References
| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | |||||
| Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | |
| Architectural Design | June 1952 | p171 with photo of model | ||
| Builder | 7 March 1952 | p352 | ||
| Builder | 18 July 1958 | 'Radiotherapeutic Institute, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh' pp99-101; includes interior and exterior photos, oblique photo of site model and ground floor plans; firms retained for design/costing/build-out and a list of sub-contractors and suppliers | ||