Holyrood Abbey Church
- Project: Holyrood Abbey Church
- Year of completion: 2007
- Client: Holyrood Abbey Church of Scotland
- Project Value: £1.4m
- Architect: Malcolm Fraser Architects
A recent substantial church project is new hall accommodation and refurbishment of Holyrood Abbey Church of Scotland. The red sandstone church on a prominent corner site in London Road in Edinburgh dates from 1900. A later hall, added in 1915, no longer provided flexible accommodation for the congregation. A red sandstone clad replacement designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects, now fills the narrow gap between the church and the East boundary. This boundary, with a tall retaining wall above an adjoining car park area provided some challenging foundation conditions.
A profiled roof with vertical glazing panels and large South facing window provide well-framed views South towards the Edinburgh landmark of Arthur Seat from the double height main hall. Ancillary accommodation is on two main levels on the North side, including projecting 1st floor corner cantilever window. The new accommodation provides a clear contrast to the carefully restored church interior, the two spaces being linked by tall glazed openings in the East gable. Alterations in the church itself include opening up the entrance vestibule by replacing a main load-bearing wall with steel framing to allow insertion of a glazed screen and strengthening the floor after pew removal for flexible open space use new under-floor heating.
