This urban gap site at Piershill Terrace in the Meadowbank area of Edinburgh had been identified by the BLOCK NINE team many years ago as an obvious development opportunity. As such we established the ownership of the site, and had also undertaken a feasibility and ‘fit study’ in an effort to not only unlock this derelict site, but also to attract interest from some of our existing developer clients.

It was successfully purchased at auction in 2018 by our developer client who appointed us to maximise what could be incorporated on this brownfield site. The surrounding context consists of typical four-storey residential Edinburgh tenement buildings. The proposals incorporate a 22 room aprt-hotel on the tight urban site with in a six-storey form.

Having analysed the existing tenement proportions, the aim was to recreate the rhythm and symmetry of the fenestration with the objective of maintaining the urban grain and to integrate it with the scale, mass and form of the surrounding tenements.

The proposal harmonises with the existing architectural language of the street, enhancing the baronial style of the adjacent listed buildings in a contemporary fashion. The top floor has been set back to minimise its visual impact from street level and to continue the tenemental form of the street. 

The masonry elements will be constructed of rustic red brick which compliments the red sandstone of the adjacent tenement buildings. The penthouse level will be clad in anthracite zinc cladding for a high-quality contemporary finish which sits comfortably with the dark grey slate roofs of the adjacent tenement building.

A planning application for the proposals was submitted in Summer 2024 and has been approved.  Work is progressing on the technical design and detailing packages and work on site is expected to begin in 2025.