Basic Site Details Name: | Midlothian County Council Buildings, Lawnmarket and Melbourne Place | City or county: | Edinburgh, Midlothian | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Unexecuted | Grid ref: | | Notes: | The 1960 winning entry by Reid & Forbers for new Midlothian County offices on a site fronting the Lawnmarket and Melbourne Place, opposite the existing County headquarters. However, it was never executed as it was rejected as excessively conservative by the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland in March 1961. Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners eventually got the job in 1964 after a second competition was held (see separate entry under Midlothian County Council Buildings for the executed RMJM building). | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | County buildings | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Lawnmarket | | | | Melbourne Place | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 26 February 1960 | | Competition announced | design competition opened for extension to County Building; open to architects practising or resident in Scotland only; submission deadline 15 March per Builder p403 (refers to fuller details in Builder dated 20 Nov.? - CHECK) | | 20 May 1960 | | Competition designs submitted | 10 designs received from architects in Scotland per Builder p957 | | 20 May 1960 | | | winning design proposes Doddington or Swinton stone quoins and old rubble redressed on main elevations; other frontages will have Blaxter veneer dressings with marble or granite trim per Builder p957 | | 24 May 1960 | 30 May 1960 | Design exhibited | awards as follows: 1st (premium 750 gns): G Reid and J S Forbes 2nd (premium 500 gns): D H Macpherson 3rd (premium 350 gns): Albert D Cordiner designs exhibited at County Buildings from 24-30 May per Builder 13 May 1960 p957 |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe 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 | | John Wilson Paterson | | | 26 February 1960 | | assessor of competition per Builder p403 | | Albert Dick Cordiner | | | 20 May 1960 | | placed 3rd in competition per Builder p957 | | Donald Hugh Macpherson | | | 20 May 1960 | | placed 2nd in competition per Builder p957 | | Reid & Forbes | | | 20 May 1960 | | placed 1st in competition per Builder p957 |
Related Buildings, Structures and DesignsParent Structure and SiteThis structure is related to the following parent structure or site (click the item to view details): | | Building name | Notes | | Midlothian County Council Buildings | New Midlothian County offices on a site fronting the Lawnmarket and Melbourne Place, opposite the existing County headquarters.
Opened by the Queen Mother. Sir Robert Matthew thought this was the practice's best detiaied building.
Approximate cost £1,000,000
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ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p25 | | Glendinning, Miles | 2008 | Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew | | RIBA Publishing | p297 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 26 February 1960 | | | 'Competitions Open' p403 | | Builder | 20 May 1960 | | | 'Competition News: Extension to Midlothian County Buildings' p957 | | Builder | 3 June 1960 | | | 'Competition Result: Extension to Midlothian County Buildings, Edinburgh' pp1049-1050; includes plan and elevation drawings |
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