St. Andrew's House
Encyclopedia
St. Andrew's House is a large, Category 'A' listed Art Deco
-influenced building on the southern flank of Calton Hill
in Edinburgh
, Scotland. Its southern side looks out over Waverley station
, the Canongate and Holyrood Park
.
St. Andrew's House is the headquarters building of the Scottish Government. The building stands on the former site of Calton Jail. Today, the turreted Governor's House
is all that remains of the former prison, next to Calton Cemetery
and the obelisk.
of Burnet, Tait and Lorne
, architect
s, who won the architectural competition to gain the commission. Construction began in November 1935, and was 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. The official opening on 12 October 1939 was “cancelled due to War”. The official opening by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth took place on 26 February 1940 instead.
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 George Grey Wornum
.
Tait's design incorporates elements of Art Deco
and Streamline Moderne
and is noted for being a rare example of sensitively designed modern architecture
in Edinburgh
.
The building features a number of sculpted decorations, also in the Art Deco style, which are credited to several notable British sculptors: Sir William Reid Dick
designed symbolic figures; heraldic devices are the work of Alexander Carrick
and Phyllis Mary Bone; the large bronze doors were designed by Walter Gilbert
and executed by H.H Martyn; and the secondary doors and stairs are by Thomas Hadden.
St Andrew's House is protected today by being Category 'A' listed.
, since 1999 St. Andrew's House now accommodates part of the Scottish Government, including the office of the First Minister of Scotland
and Deputy First Minister of Scotland
and the Directorates of the Scottish Government dealing with justice and health matters (formerly the Scottish Executive Justice Department and the Scottish Executive Health Department). The building underwent a major refurbishment in 2001, although the external facade is still coated in a soot
y residue. It now accommodates 1,400 civil servants.
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-influenced building on the southern flank of Calton Hill
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Calton Hill is a hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, just to the east of the New Town. Views of, and from, the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city....
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland. Its southern side looks out over Waverley station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, the Canongate and Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. It has an array of hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs, and patches of whin providing a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape within its area...
.
St. Andrew's House is the headquarters building of the Scottish Government. The building stands on the former site of Calton Jail. Today, the turreted Governor's House
Governor's House, Edinburgh
The Governor's House of Calton Jail is situated on the southern flank of Calton Hill, beside the south-east corner of Old Calton Burial Ground, in Edinburgh, Scotland...
is all that remains of the former prison, next to Calton Cemetery
Old Calton Cemetery
Old Calton Cemetery is a graveyard in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on Calton Hill, to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Edinburgh persons, including philosopher David Hume, publisher William Blackwood and...
and the obelisk.
Construction
The building was designed by Thomas S. TaitThomas S. Tait
Thomas Smith Tait was a prominent Scottish Modernist architect. He designed a number of buildings around the world in Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles, notably St...
of Burnet, Tait and Lorne
John James Burnet
Sir John James Burnet was a Scottish Edwardian architect who was noted for a number of prominent buildings in Glasgow, Scotland and London, England...
, architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s, who won the architectural competition to gain the commission. Construction began in November 1935, and was completed in 1939, the building initially housed the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
, including the offices of the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
. The requirement for the building arose as a result of a post World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
policy of limited transfer of devolved power to Scotland from London. The official opening on 12 October 1939 was “cancelled due to War”. The official opening by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth took place on 26 February 1940 instead.
Architecture
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. To the south, facing the waverley valley, it is much more irregular and romantic in expression. There are many Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
influences, notably the severe verticality of the RIBA
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
headquarters building in London by George Grey Wornum
George Grey Wornum
George Grey Wornum was a British architect.Grey Wornum was born in London and educated at Bradfield College and the Slade School of Art. He studied architecture under the guidance of his uncle, Ralph Selden Wornum...
.
Tait's design incorporates elements of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
and is noted for being a rare example of sensitively designed modern architecture
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
The building features a number of sculpted decorations, also in the Art Deco style, which are credited to several notable British sculptors: Sir William Reid Dick
William Reid Dick
Sir William Reid, Dick was a Scottish sculptor known for his innovative stylization of form in his monument sculptures and simplicity in his portraits. He became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1921, and a Royal Academician in 1928. Dick served as president of the Royal Society of British...
designed symbolic figures; heraldic devices are the work of Alexander Carrick
Alexander Carrick
Alexander Carrick 1882–1966 was one of Scotland’s leading monumental sculptors of the early part of the 20th century. He was responsible for many architectural and ecclesiastical works as well as many war memorials executed in the period following World War I...
and Phyllis Mary Bone; the large bronze doors were designed by Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert is an American physicist, biochemist, molecular biology pioneer, and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 21, 1932...
and executed by H.H Martyn; and the secondary doors and stairs are by Thomas Hadden.
St Andrew's House is protected today by being Category 'A' listed.
Governmental use
Following the passing of the Scotland Act 1998Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the Act which established the devolved Scottish Parliament.The Act will be amended by the Scotland Bill 2011, if and when it receives royal assent.-History:...
, since 1999 St. Andrew's House now accommodates part of the Scottish Government, including the office of the First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
and Deputy First Minister of Scotland
Deputy First Minister of Scotland
The Deputy First Minister of Scotland is the deputy to the First Minister of Scotland.The post is not recognised in statute , and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government...
and the Directorates of the Scottish Government dealing with justice and health matters (formerly the Scottish Executive Justice Department and the Scottish Executive Health Department). The building underwent a major refurbishment in 2001, although the external facade is still coated in a soot
Soot
Soot is a general term that refers to impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon. It is more properly restricted to the product of the gas-phase combustion process but is commonly extended to include the residual pyrolyzed fuel particles such as cenospheres,...
y residue. It now accommodates 1,400 civil servants.
External links
- St. Andrew's House on the Gazetteer for ScotlandGazetteer for ScotlandThe Gazetteer for Scotland is a gazetteer covering the geography, history and people of Scotland. It was conceived in 1995 by Bruce Gittings of the University of Edinburgh and David Munro of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and contains 15,500 entries as of January 2008, making it one of...
- Scottish Government site celebrating the 70th anniversary of the building