Autumn 2023

WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN 2023 NEWSLETTER OF RICHARD MURPHY ARCHITECTS

NEWS OF EXISTING PROJECTS

The last few weeks have seen three separate celebrations for our buildings...

Greenock Ocean Terminal - Official Opening

Graeme Armet and Richard Murphy attended the official opening of our building on 25^th August. Various civic dignitaries spoke and the UK and Scottish governments were both represented with speeches by Lord Offord of Garvel, Parliamentary Secretary of State, and Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Government Transport Minister, respectively. Speeches concluded with Glasgow born actor Bill Patterson and the party was joined by some of the crew of the visiting liner, the Queen Victoria. The building was universally complimented and it was already busy with cruise ship passengers and patrons of Scotts Restaurant. The Wyllieum Gallery officially opens in 2024. The main image shows the sculpture terrace and below, the opening party and the entrance to the Wyllieum. New images including aerial shots have been added to the project's webpage which you can see here.

20 Years of John Muir's Birthplace

Richard represented the practice at the 20^th birthday of the opening of the John Muir Birthplace visitor's centre in Dunbar. The three storey freestanding tower inside the shell of the original building was designed together with Campbell and Company, so that the exhibition and the architecture are completely integrated. It has been functioning unchanged for twenty years and attracts thousands of visitors every year. It is also now the end of the trans-Scotland walk The John Muir Way which begins in Helensburgh. The picture shows Liz McLean, one of the original trustees, cutting the cake. A slide show of notable events in the museum is reproduced here.

'Dot's Den'
Maggie's Edinburgh new Garden Room
Official Opening

Our Maggie's Centre at the Western General Hospital first opened its doors in 1996. Little did we know then that it would be the first of a worldwide movement (there are currently 26 centres) and that Maggie's Edinburgh would be extended by us: in 2001 and 2020. The latest project financed by the Mickel Family in memory of Dorothy Mickel is a garden pavilion /counselling room located at the culmination of the garden path created as part of the extensive landscaping by Emma Keswick. Richard and Graeme from the office attended the official opening on 18th September.

NEWS OF PROJECTS ON SITE

Portal, Trinity College Dublin's Innovative Hub

The project shows the main hall taking shape with the four towers of meeting rooms constructed in steel frame on the right hand side. The webpage for this project can be viewed here.

Macmillan Hub and North Edinburgh Arts

Construction is progressing well on site with the completion of both the steel and timber frames. The external brickwork skin is almost complete, with the “shoal of fish” brickwork gradient taking shape on the east elevation facing MacMillan Square. Internally, the partitions in the nursery near completion and now the rooms in the Library and Skills Hub are beginning to take shape. The webpage for this project can be viewed here.

Papple Steading, East Lothian

Phase 2, stage 1 has now started on site, scaffolding is up and work to the existing walls and roofs is well underway. Slates and all salvageable timbers have been removed for reuse and the rebuilding of the dovecot roof has begun. Image shows the dovecot.

PRESS COVERAGE

Donaldson's, Edinburgh

'The design challenges of the Donaldson's project'

In The Scotsman on 9th September, Simon-Vernon Harcourt described the challenges faced with the conversion of the Donaldson's School from scholastic accommodation into 'The Playfair at Donaldson's': 110 apartments and two houses. The image shows the 'The Playfair at Donaldson's' to the right with the new development 'The Crescent' to the left. The project can be viewed on our website here.

'Final property for sale at The Crescent'

The final property for sale at 'The Crescent' was featured recently by Project Scotland on their website. Described as Cala's "most ambitious project", the Crescent has also become Cala Homes’ most award-winning development, including 'Best Apartment Scheme' at the 2019 What House? Awards, 'Best Show home' at the 2019 Herald Property Awards and 'Innovation in Design' at the 2019 Scottish Home Awards. The project can be viewed on our website here.

Greenock Ocean Terminal

"A magnificent venue that Inverclyde can be proud of"

The opening of Greenock Ocean Terminal was covered by the Greenock Telegraph, Scottish Construction Now and Project Scotland. Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “the centre looks incredible and has been a huge success with the tens of thousands of passengers who have passed through it so far this year". The image shows the Wyllieum Gallery, which will be dedicated to the late artist George Wyllie.

House at Gullane

"From the Ground Up"

Our clients Kim and Graeme Ritchie and their new house at Gullane were featured in the November issue of Scottish Field. Long-time friends of Richard, the couple describe the design process and their experience and their love of their new home. The November issue of Scottish Field is available to buy now.

House at Strathaven Airfield

The Iconic British House: Modern Architectural Masterworks Since 1900

Our award winning house for Colin Mackinnon and Marta Briongo at Strathaven Airfield has been the subject of much interest since it's completion in 2019. It is now featured in what has been called "a definitive survey of the finest examples of residential architecture in Britain from 1900 to the present, featuring the major architects of the 20th century and leading emerging talents". The house can be viewed on our website here.

LECTURES

Richard is giving a lecture in the Hunter Lecture Theatre, 017A to Edinburgh University Interior, Architectural and Spatial Design students at 2pm on Thursday 26 October, 2023.

AND FINALLY...

The practice celebrated our 32^ndbirthday (1st October) at a production of 'Faulty Towers the Dining Experience' at the Apex Hotel in Edinburgh. Richard noted that 50% of the practice weren’t born when we started! The pictures show 'Basil' consulting Bill Black and Christoph Crepaz, 'Sybil' being friendly with Calum Ramsay and the bottom photo shows one of our two tables.