
St. Cecilia’s Hall Concert Room & Music Museum
Key Facts
Client
University of Edinburgh
Location
Edinburgh Old Town
Value
N/A
Internal Floor Area
1345m2
Completion
March 2017
A much-loved old instrument that was in need of a new mouthpiece.
Project Info
People, like air, move through the new mouthpiece entrance to breathe new energy into the building. This stance informed all of the architectural moves that we made in our approach to the redevelopment of the existing Category A-Listed building complex.
The context for this project was the desire by the University of Edinburgh to improve awareness, function and amenity of St. Cecilia’s Hall, as an appropriate home for their world-class collection of musical instruments.
The removal of the 1960’s Caretakers Flat unlocked the opportunity to create a new public entrance and provide all of the ancillary facilities required to run the contemporary museum and concert room facility. The new four storey entrance building houses a double height entrance reception and orientation space with new vertical access, office accommodation, internal plant room and a greenroom above.
In parallel, the existing building was carefully opened up to reveal a new intuitive visitor journey through the instrument collection with vistas from foyers through galleries to the city beyond.
The architectural emblems of the instrument collection are provocative. We like to work with associations, as architecture is not only the physical fabric but the ideas and thoughts that influence it. Our embracing new ‘L’ volume becomes imagined as an instrument, taking cues in form, texture and materiality from the qualities of the collection – rooting the building in its setting.
This significant cultural project aspired to enhance the existing building setting and musical instrument collection contained within the remarkable grouping of rooms – a wonderful opportunity to create a sensitive yet bold new piece of civic architecture within the Old Town context.




Testimonial
“Page\Park have been great to work with on this project from start to finish. Page\Park had clear enthusiasm for the project that matched our own. They engaged with our vision – working with us to refine and perfect without imposing, then shaping ideas into a concrete proposal to the University, the City and our supporters. We are delighted with our beautiful, inspiring and unique concert room and music museum which is now firmly on the map and receiving glowing feedback and reviews.”
Jacky MacBeath Head of Museums, University of Edinburgh
“Alongside the rest of the design team, your commitment in delivering a shared vision for this project has gone above and beyond your day job and will no doubt contribute to the eventual success of the restored building.”
Steven Poliri Estate Development Manager, University of Edinburgh