The former Royal High School building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh is being transformed into the National Centre for Music, which is to become an energising force in Scotland’s music sector. Surrounded by two acres of beautiful landscape, the gardens will be a key focal point of the new development.
Designed by the landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith OBE in collaboration with Edinburgh based landscape architects, OPEN (part of SLR), the area will provide the first major new city centre public garden since Princes Street Gardens opened more than 200 years ago in 1820. The new gardens have been designed to complement the grandeur of Thomas Hamilton’s initial masterpiece and blend into the geological drama of Calton Hill – creating a new public space, in an urban location where no garden existed before, overlooking the city skyline and the vista of Salisbury Crags beyond.
Tom Stuart Smith said: “The overall design of these gardens aims to highlight the extraordinary architectural setting of not only the building but also Edinburgh, creating a tranquil retreat accessible for everyone and recognised as an outstanding destination in the city centre.”
The £2.85m grant from the Julia Rausing Trust, which will create the East Garden, takes the charity closer to its fundraising targets to enable the summer 2027 opening. With more than 200 varieties of flowering trees, flowers and grasses, the look of the East gardens will change with the seasons creating views all year round and contrast the West garden at the other end of the building which is composed entirely of Scottish native plants.
A long wisteria clad pergola along the garden’s North wall creates a ‘philosophers walk’ as a contemplative, thoughtful space which overlooks the flower garden. The East Pavilion within the East gardens will become a learning studio, showcasing the story of Scotland’s rich and diverse flora. The space will also serve as a venue for horticultural and environmental talks.
“The transformation of the former Royal High School in Edinburgh into a new National Centre for Music is a remarkable project and it is exciting to see a new public garden created as part of this initiative. Supporting heritage for the benefit of all was an important part of Julia Rausing’s giving and together with her interest in horticulture and love of gardens, make this a fitting project to support as part of her continuing legacy. We’re delighted to make this donation to the development of the East Gardens and look forward to seeing the completed project,” said Simon Fourmy, Director of The Julia Rausing Trust.
Kate Smith, Development Director for the Royal High School Preservation Trust, added: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to The Julia Rausing Trust for their incredibly generous award. The gardens will be an extremely important feature of the new National Centre for Music. They will have health and wellbeing at their heart and create an urban oasis for the whole community to enjoy. The old Royal High School building is one of the most important neoclassical buildings in Scotland and the gardens will form the perfect frame for the exciting new musical hub planned for the building.”
The Julia Rausing Trust is an independent grant making charity, honouring the memory of British philanthropist, Julia Rausing and committed to donating up to £100m in grants to charities and organisations across the UK.
