St. Andrew's House

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Southern aspect of St Andrew's House on Calton Hill.

St. Andrew's House is a large Art Deco influenced building on the southern flank of Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a fine outlook over Waverley station, the Canongate and Holyrood Park .

The building was designed by Thomas S. Tait of Tait and Lorne, architects, who won the architectural competition to gain the commission. Completed in 1939, the building initially housed the Scottish Office, including the offices of the Secretary of State for Scotland. The requirement for the building arose as a result of a post World War I policy of limited transfer of devolved power to Scotland from London. St. Andrew's House now accommodates the Scottish Executive, the government of Scotland following the passing of the Scotland Act (1998). The building underwent a major refurbishment in 2001.

The north facade of St Andrew's House, from Nelson's Monument.

Architecturally, the building is monolithic, symmetrical and restrained on the main north facade. To the south, facing the waverley valley, it is much more irregular and romantic in expression. There are many Art Deco influences, notably the severe verticality of the RIBA headquarters building in London by Grey Wornum. St Andrew's House is protected today by being Category 'A' listed.