News

Approval for the Dunard Centre - Edinburgh's new landmark performance venue

Turley is providing Heritage and Townscape services for the new world-class centre for music, which is set to sustain Edinburgh's international reputation for culture.

The Dunard Centre, supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, will be Edinburgh’s first purpose-built music and performance venue in over 100 years after the City of Edinburgh Council approved the plans at the Development Management Sub Committee last week.

One of the boldest ventures in the city’s contemporary story, ingeniously inserted just behind the Category A-listed Dundas House off St Andrew Square, the 1,000 capacity Dunard Centre transforms a forgotten site into an exciting new destination for music lovers.

The performance hall will have an acoustic and audience experience designed to rival the very best in the world.

Our Heritage and Townscape team have been working with the world renowned architects David Chipperfield Architects from the early stages of the development of the contemporary design of the new building. The design sits in harmony with its significant townscape setting within the World Heritage Site, and in relation to the listed buildings; the performance venue will contribute to the internationally renowned cultural capital of the city.

The new building will be a place where people can come together to experience incredible performances, with unexpected collaborations and bold programming designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and tastes. The flexible setting will host the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, as well as other ensembles, choirs, solo musicians and bands.

A welcoming café and an all-day events schedule will ensure the Centre’s contribution as a cultural hub and showcase venue, with education and community outreach programmes encouraging participation throughout the region.

The new performance venue is a much-needed investment for Edinburgh which continues to be the world’s festival city. Other cultural destinations in the world are investing heavily in new venue infrastructure, leaving Edinburgh, which has not had a new hall in 100 years, at risk of lagging behind.

Welcoming the decision, Fergus Linehan, Festival Director and CEO of Edinburgh International Festival and co-chair of IMPACT Scotland said:

“The Council’s decision today is fantastic news for the city and for music in Scotland. Edinburgh is a city famous for its cultural life and home to world-renowned arts festivals which generate over £300 million for the Scottish economy, but it lags behind many other cities in its provision of cultural infrastructure which currently deters some artists from choosing to perform in the city. By creating a modern hall with outstanding facilities and acoustics, we are closing the recognised gap in the region’s cultural infrastructure and helping to sustain Edinburgh’s position as a leading cultural city against national and international competition. At the same time, we are creating a year-round cultural hub to offer a diverse range of performances and an extensive education and community outreach programme.”

Gavin Reid, CEO of Scottish Chamber Orchestra and co-chair of IMPACT Scotland said:

“Today’s approval is tremendous news for the City and turns the ambition for a world-class centre for music and performance, into a reality. Dunard Centre will become the new home of Scottish Chamber Orchestra, proving transformational. A stunning auditorium offering the very best in modern acoustics and boasting state of the art digital broadcast facilities will allow us to dream big, expand our repertoire, collaborate with ever more composers and artists, present our work innovatively, courageously and flexibly all with a new-found sense of adventure and ambition, always seeking to engage more and more people.”

1 December 2021