Donaldson’s College, Edinburgh

Acoustic Design and Testing at
Donaldson’s College, Edinburgh

Client: CALA Homes East/City and Country Edinburgh

Architects: Richard Murphy Architects Ltd

Contractor: BAM

Lead Consultant: Nicola Symington, Gareth Henderson

Awards:

2019 WhatHouse, Best Apartment Scheme

2019 WhatHouse, Best Luxury Development

2018 WhatHouse, Best Renovation Gold Award – Playfair Building

2018 Scottish Home Awards, Best Innovation in Design

2018 The Herald Property Awards – Judges Award for the Playfair Building

2018 Scottish Home Awards, Apartment Development of the Year

One of the most distinctive buildings in Edinburgh and designed by William Henry Playfair in the 1840s, Donaldson’s was originally an orphan hospital before becoming a specialist school for deaf children.

Built in the style of a Jacobethan Palace, and set within 18 acres, the 124,840 sq ft development boasts an attractive internal courtyard and central tower with domed octagonal turrets.

CALA concentrated on the new-build and City & Country who have a considerable record of redeveloping historic buildings for residential use in the south of England, took control of the listed building.  This was City & Country’s first venture in Scotland.

RMP provided the full acoustic design and testing services for both the residential redevelopment of the prestigious Playfair building and the 84 new-build Cala apartments in the grounds (“The Crescent”).