Quartermile is the marketing name given to the mixed use redevelopment of the 19-acre (7.7 ha) former Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh site, in Lauriston, Edinburgh, overlooking The Meadows. The project is a joint venture between Gladedale Group and the Bank of Scotland. The scheme comprises a mixture of new build apartments, apartments converted from the existing hospital buildings, new build offices, affordable housing, and retail/leisure uses.
Foster and Partners are the architects for the new build apartments and offices. The former hospital buildings, primarily by architect David Bryce are being converted by CDA. The former surgical building was at one stage intended to become a 5 star hotel, designed by Richard Murphy architects, but no operator was found to run the hotel,[1] and is consequently now intended for conversion to apartments. Richard Murphy architects are still however involved with the site, as they are set to design the affordable housing.
Many of the existing hospital buildings were demolished to make way for the new buildings, which has caused some anger amongst architectural conservation groups. There have even been suggestions in the press that the impact of the development could cause Edinburgh to lose its World Heritage Site status,[2] however this has been vigorously denied by City of Edinburgh council.[3]