Images free for personal non-commercial use only ©
Dave Henniker Lauriston Place area
Old Royal Infirmary etc.
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This side street was formerly the entrance to a car park but now it's barricaded with a blue metal fence, as is the entire Quartermile area. | |
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Further east on the south side of Lauriston Place is the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The hospital has been relocated to the suburban area recently called the South East Wedge, specifically Little France. The residents of this tenement will have an excellent view of the transformation from hospital to luxury housing. | |
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Although only a week or two had elapsed since the hospital had been closed, there were already signs of urban decay here. Now the entire complex has a security fence round it. | |
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The same part of the building viewed from a different angle. Some of the modern extensions to the original building have spoilt its appearance and will probably be removed. | |
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The deserted entrance to the former Accident and Emergency wards. My daughter Linda was one of the last people to be treated there after running for a bus after work and getting knocked down by a car. Many Edinburgh citizens will have intense memories of this place, especially those who were sober. | |
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This quaint little building is almost totally obscured by vegetation. Photographed through the railings beside the bus stop near the top of Middle Meadow Walk. | |
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How the site looked on 14 July 2004. Photo taken from the west gate in Lauriston Place looking past Archibald Place and Lauriston Terrace (on the right) towards the rear of Chalmers Street, with the spire of Barclay Church in the distance. | |
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The Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion can be seen over the rubble which used to be the buildings in Royal Inf 3 and 2 above. | |
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Along the south side of Lauriston Place is this translucent fence in place of the forbidding blue metal effort. This is near the main entrance where you can enquire about living here when it's finished. Or visit their web site. | |
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A sad state of neglect afflicts this building at the corner of Lauriston Gardens. There was also a fire, possibly started maliciously. | |
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A nice array of potted plants adorns this basement stairway beside a pawnbroker's shop at the corner of Lauriston Street. A 27 bus coming up the hill from Tollcross is heading towards the red sandstone building of the Art College. | |
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Chalmers Street forms the western boundary of the Royal Infirmary area currently being redeveloped for luxury homes. Being ringfenced hasn't stopped stones being thrown at the windows. | |
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Until the development is complete the scene resembles a scene from Half Life 2. | |
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This building is reminiscent of the George Square Library which, at the time of writing, still has its windows intact. | |
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There's changes at the top of the street at Lauriston Place in April 2010. It very much looks like the shell of this building next to the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion is being preserved. | |
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My doormat was feloniously appropriated along with these other ones from Edinburgh stairs. If your doormat went walkabout, then blame Kevin Harman who has formed this alleged work of art at Edinburgh Art College. | |
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At the end of August 2008 some of the blue barriers have been removed and there's now access to the site. The views from the glassy towers should be better than the views of them. Homes here won't be cheap; that's for sure. | |
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23rd of June 2009. More access now available to browse round - although some areas are off limits. The stunning views referred to wil be over the Meadows park to the south and over the Royal Mile to the north. | |
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Meantime some of the views from street level are more strange than stunning. | |
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Blue skies and the tenements of Lauriston Terrace are reflected in the glass panels of this new building. | |
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An odd assortment of surfaces and textures. | |
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A taxi enters Nightingale Way from Lauriston Place. | |
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The development is only partially completed at the end of 2009 so there is only the odd passer-by. Numerous signs and pictures extoll the benefits of living and / or working here. | |
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The architect left a gap in the glass and metal for this view of the old building. The clock on the tower is correct. | |
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This is a photograph despite having the appearance of being rendered by a computer. | |
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Are employees encouraged to climb on the wallbars for exercise or group-bonding activities? Maybe the bars can be electrified to motivate (or terminate) underperforming individuals... | |
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Hopefully they're not going to rip out the internal stairway and rearrange the windows like they did with the brick building at Fountainbridge. (See Fountainbridge page 5.) | |
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A closer look at the lower 6 windows. Now that most of the new buildings are completed, it should be possible to renovate the older ones that are being retained as part of the grand design. | |
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A recognisable landmark, it stands in the quadrangle at the NHS building which houses several clinics at 39 Lauriston Place (between the art college and Heriot's school). | |
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Another picture of Nightingale Way. Pure Gym have their premises in the glass building. Lauriston Place is just up the slope. | |
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The practice of covering up buildings under renovation with huge photographs of themselves is increasing. The end result can look quite strange. | |
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All this glass can cause interesting reflections and distribute light and shadows in intriguing ways. This footpath leads to Middle Meadow Walk. | |
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A few of the homes in Quartermile are occupied but the investors in the project would obviously prefer to see spaces like these teeming with people. | |
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As might be expected, there are 'retail & restaurant opportunities available now' in April 2010. | |
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One day the fences and hoardings will be gone and this will hopefully be a thriving community. Some parts such as Pure Gym and shops and coffee bars at Middle Meadow Walk are already busy. There is still a lot of development work under way. | |
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Reflected light and shadows beside the entrance to Pure Gym. | |
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Same locale as Quartermile 02 further up the page, but a different day and a different stance to rearrange the geometrical shapes. | |
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Nightingale Way off Lauriston Place has this partly empty building (June 2010). Pure Gym have their premises here but this section is empty apart from one or two strange objects including a cathode ray tube | |
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There's this weird area here at the bottom of Archibald Place that doesn't yet know what it's going to be. | |
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The same steps as in Quartermile 03 (up the page) but seen from the top looking down. | |
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Not far away at the bottom of Chalmers Street near The Meadows. Evidently this big building is purpose-built student accomodation. | |
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On the other (east) side of Chalmers Street there's renewed activity and much mud. This is the view south towards The Meadows mid-March 2011. |
Back to Edinburgh Central Menu or Fire Brigade at Lauriston