Summerhall is a former veterinary school at the edge of the Meadows, formed through successive additions of teaching buildings, courtyards and later interventions. While the site retains significant spaces, including lecture theatres and dissection rooms, their relationships have become fragmented. Movement through the campus is unclear and its connection to the city is weak, with entrances operating as secondary edges rather than defined points of arrival.
The proposal focuses on the Tech Cube corner, where the relationship between street and courtyard is unresolved. Previously occupied by Hope Park Church, this corner once acted as a point of gathering and entry. The current condition is closed, raised from street level and lacks permeability. A gateway is introduced at this location, establishing a new entrance that connects the city directly to the internal courtyards. Movement is structured through a sequence of thresholds, holding the corner before releasing into the site. The masterplan organises programme across a series of courtyards, distinguishing between public and private conditions. A main courtyard supports collective activity, while a secondary courtyard to the north forms a more private garden associated with student living.
The study building is positioned between these conditions, acting as a connector that links the entrance to the main courtyard while maintaining a relationship to quieter spaces beyond. It is organised around retained elements, including the Anatomy Lecture Theatre, which establishes a datum for a new spatial order. The building is developed through a tectonic approach that distinguishes between enclosure and frame. A load-bearing masonry wall defines the northern edge, while a lighter colonnade to the south creates a permeable boundary. Material from demolition is reused to form the primary construction, linking the existing fabric directly to the new building. Through this, the proposal re-establishes clear relationships between street, courtyard and building, reconnecting Summerhall to the city and organising its internal structure.
