Collective in Dezeen top 10.

The end of the year is a good time to reflect, to compile lists and be thankful for what the year has brought, no matter how turbulent it may have been.

Dezeen has compiled 10 of it’s top British Architecture projects of 2019. We were delighted to see our client Collective in the list. The contemporary art centre which sits atop Edinburgh’s Calton Hill, celebrated its first birthday back in November. In that first year they more than doubled their visitor target, welcoming over 300,000 visitors to their new home. 

The City Observatory was designed in 1818 by William Playfair and played a key role in the history of astronomy and timekeeping in Edinburgh. Working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council, they led a major fundraising campaign to re-develop the Observatory and open it to the public, for free, for the first time in the sites 200 year history. Kate Gray, Collective’s Director states that ​“We’re thrilled that opening Collective has brought so many people to look at, think about and make contemporary art in our new centre on Calton Hill. While the number of tourists visiting Calton Hill and Collective continues to increase, we are also particularly pleased that over a third of our visitors live in Edinburgh itself.” 

Another of our clients, Collective Architecture, led the project, restoring the Observatory to Playfair’s original designs and adding new a purpose built restaurant, a new exhibition space and office to the site. Project Architect, Emma Fairhurst noting ​“Designing new buildings to sit within this highly sensitive context, demanded a respectful but forward thinking approach, carefully balancing scale, form and materiality to ensure the new buildings are of their time and create a level of intrigue, but without dominating the gentle scale of Playfair’s City Observatory. Carefully piecing the existing buildings back together from their previous dilapidated state has also been incredibly satisfying to be part of; ensuring their survival for future generations to explore and understand.”

Graphical House had the pleasure of working with both Collective and Collective Architecture on the branding and marketing material.

You can see the rest of the list here.

Keir McDowall