£25 million search for Ross Pavilion design team launched

A £25 million search has been launched for a multidisciplinary design team to create a new visitor attraction at the Ross Pavilion and Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The core of the challenge is replacing an existing bandstand with a new pavilion, which needs to be compatible with any current and new botanic, civil, cultural and commemorative uses of the surrounding West Princes Street Gardens area – which sits within a UNESCO world heritage site.

The project will need to create a peaceful respite from the surrounding urban area and act as a daily venue for small-scale indoor and outdoor events including occasional large-scale outdoor events attracting up to 8000 people, according to competition organisers.

A visitor centre will comprise a viewing platform, café and spaces for meetings, workshops and performances.

The performance space needs to be flexible so that it can shift to accommodate both large and small events.

Meanwhile a natural amphitheatre is required. The current one is hard-surfaced and it will need to be transformed into a softer landscape.

A landscape masterplan is part of the brief and includes access, wayfinding and lighting. This part of the project will forge connections between the old and new town and restore the promenade condition of the border between Princes Street and West Princes Street Gardens.

Overall the project needs to “enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as a dynamic and creative city,” while recognising the historic significance and setting of the location, according to competition organisers.

Consortiums will be led by architects but can feature other types of design experts. They will compete over a two-stage process, which firstly identifies five or more teams before those shortlisted teams are asked to create concept designs.

You can enter here before 13 March.

Images: © Malcolm Reading Consultants / David Springford