The Dome, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
The Dome is a building on George Street
in the New Town
of Edinburgh
, Scotland
. It currently functions as a bar, restaurant and nightclub
, although it was first built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland
in 1847. The building was designed by David Rhind
in a Graeco-Roman style. It stands on the site of the Physicians' Hall, the offices of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
, which was constructed in the 18th century to designs by James Craig
, the planner of the New Town. The Dome is a category A listed building.
Aesthetically, the Hall was striking and beautiful to the human eye. “Its foundation stone was laid in 1776. The building, with an 84 feet (25.6 m) frontage, had a portico of four Corinthian
columns and gave the College of Physicians a permanent home again after temporary refuge in the Royal Infirmary in Infirmary Street”. Unfortunately for Craig, the sense of permanence was not achieved because the Hall did not suit the need of the physicians. “The physicians had money problems and were not entirely happy either with Craig's internal arrangements”. Since the Hall was built for the use of the students, it did not achieve its original goal. “The physicians appeared never to have been completely happy with it and sold the site to the Commercial Bank, which ripped down Craig's building to erect a superb banking hall”.
The Scottish capitalist movement was an architectural turning point in Scotland. “The earlier building types of capitalism were refined and elaborated. Banks and insurance companies built ever more grandiose headquarters and branches in the cities, along with offices for lawyers, shipping firms and land agents; the construction of bank chambers from the 1840s (as with David Rhind's work for the Commercial Bank) constituted one of the biggest ever building campaigns in Scottish cities”. To further portray the socialistic thinking, the Commercial Bank’s style focused a great deal on unity, a fundamental value of the belief. “The whole is sculptured in a very high style of art, the prevailing feeling of the different groups being in harmony with each other, blending into a whole, and so uniting with the details and general effect of the edifice as to combine the tout ensemble into an interesting and delightful unity”. In terms of economic outlook, Scotland’s views had changed from Socialistic to Capitalistic.
. “From the mid- 1830s and early 1840s, while Thomas Hamilton
and Playfair
had continued to exploit the potential of explicitly Grecian architecture
, William Burn
, David Bryce
(Burn's partner 1841-50) and David Rhind had begun to move towards an astylar, Italian palazzo-like classicism for some commercial buildings and club-houses, and a Graeco-Baroque grandeur for others -- in both cases, combined with a somewhat Greek sharpness of detail”. With this mindset, a classical revival became highly evident in Scottish architecture. “By the end of the 1840’s, there developed that aspect of neo-Classical architecture, known as Greco-Roman, whose influence was strongest among Scottish banks”.
David Rhind embraced these ideas as he started to construct the building which is now called the Dome. “The front of this banking-house, a really magnificent structure, which has been erected in George Street, exhibits a Corinthian hexastyle portico ninety-five feet in width, of great general beauty, and having a bold but not obtrusive projection; the columns of which it is composed, six in number, as the name of its style indicates, are thirty-five feet high, of very graceful proportions, with a happily adapted intercolumniation, and having elegant well-relieved and spiritedly carved capitals”. In other words, the building is representative of Doric order
and Greek classicism. The windows of are arched and simple, very similar to those designed by Palladio in the Villa Godi
in figure three. The front architrave
is quite comparable to the Temple of Agrigento
.
said, “'the rich and massive architecture of the front', and the interior decoration 'in a style which is not less than gorgeous'". It can be drawn that the interior again resorts back to a classical style with columns and a central dome. David Rhind clearly took advantage of light source, by constructing the dome of glass, as well as giving the building a more modern appeal.
. However, the walls, windows, floors, and dome of the building remain present today. A building takes a great amount of effort and time to construct, which gives it a high level of importance. Since there is such extensive effort put into erecting buildings, the structures must appropriately fulfill the societal needs. When looking with this mindset, one can better understand the relationship between the structures of the Commercial Bank and the Scottish citizens and how it correlates to Scottish society.
Symbolically, the Commercial Bank represented a capitalist movement, as well as highlighted the enlightened thinking of the Greeks. David Rhind incorporated the use of light by using a glass dome, and made use of space with a large central lobby. Though one of many buildings in a Greek Classical revival, The Dome stands unique on George Street with its stunning pediment and long rich history. The structures, style, art, and rhythm of the Commercial Bank create a three dimensional photo that captures the most important elements comprising Scottish Society.
George Street, Edinburgh
Situated to the north of Princes Street, George Street is a major street in the centre of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Laid out from 1767 as part of James Craig's plan for the New Town, George Street was named in honour of King George III.-Geography:...
in the New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
of 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
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It currently functions as a bar, restaurant and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, although it was first built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland
Commercial Bank of Scotland
The Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd. was a Scottish commercial bank. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1810, and obtained a royal charter in 1831. It grew substantially through the 19th and early 20th centuries, until 1959, when it merged with the National Bank of Scotland to become the National...
in 1847. The building was designed by David Rhind
David Rhind
David Rhind was a Scottish architect, born in Edinburgh in 1808 to parents John Rhind and his wife Marion Anderson. David Rhind was married twice, to Emily Shoubridge in 1840, then Mary Jane Sackville-Pearson in 1845...
in a Graeco-Roman style. It stands on the site of the Physicians' Hall, the offices of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
, which was constructed in the 18th century to designs by James Craig
James Craig (architect)
James Craig was a Scottish architect. His brief career was concentrated almost entirely in Edinburgh, and he is remembered primarily for his layout of the first Edinburgh New Town.-Date of birth:...
, the planner of the New Town. The Dome is a category A listed building.
Physicians' Hall
The Dome marks the place of the old Physicians' Hall, by architect James Craig. As the winner of the New Town planning competition in 1766, he received little recognition. He did, however, design the Physicians' Hall for the Royal College of Physicians, though, despite his credentials, the building does not stand today.Aesthetically, the Hall was striking and beautiful to the human eye. “Its foundation stone was laid in 1776. The building, with an 84 feet (25.6 m) frontage, had a portico of four Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
columns and gave the College of Physicians a permanent home again after temporary refuge in the Royal Infirmary in Infirmary Street”. Unfortunately for Craig, the sense of permanence was not achieved because the Hall did not suit the need of the physicians. “The physicians had money problems and were not entirely happy either with Craig's internal arrangements”. Since the Hall was built for the use of the students, it did not achieve its original goal. “The physicians appeared never to have been completely happy with it and sold the site to the Commercial Bank, which ripped down Craig's building to erect a superb banking hall”.
Outlook on transformation
Owned by Scotland’s Commercial Bank, a new project by architect David Rhind was on the horizon for the now empty lot. Previous to this architectural movement, the Church was the central structure in terms of financial dedication. Now, money was filtered and dedicated to the construction of banks and commercial property. "This undermined the political power of the old society of landed and established religious interests was now followed by a further acceleration of capitalist-led social and economic transformation". This means that to represent Scotland’s more socialist outlook, buildings focused on serving the community as a whole, not just an elite or selective audience.The Scottish capitalist movement was an architectural turning point in Scotland. “The earlier building types of capitalism were refined and elaborated. Banks and insurance companies built ever more grandiose headquarters and branches in the cities, along with offices for lawyers, shipping firms and land agents; the construction of bank chambers from the 1840s (as with David Rhind's work for the Commercial Bank) constituted one of the biggest ever building campaigns in Scottish cities”. To further portray the socialistic thinking, the Commercial Bank’s style focused a great deal on unity, a fundamental value of the belief. “The whole is sculptured in a very high style of art, the prevailing feeling of the different groups being in harmony with each other, blending into a whole, and so uniting with the details and general effect of the edifice as to combine the tout ensemble into an interesting and delightful unity”. In terms of economic outlook, Scotland’s views had changed from Socialistic to Capitalistic.
Construction of the bank
David Rhind saw this perspective of capitalism and traced the idea roots all the way back to Greek societyAncient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
. “From the mid- 1830s and early 1840s, while Thomas Hamilton
Thomas Hamilton (architect)
Thomas Hamilton was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, his works include: the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery; the Royal High School on the Calton Hill, long considered as home for the Scottish Parliament; Bedlam Theatre; the George IV Bridge, which spans the...
and Playfair
William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair FRSE was one of the greatest Scottish architects of the 19th century, designer of many of Edinburgh's neo-classical landmarks in the New Town....
had continued to exploit the potential of explicitly Grecian architecture
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
, William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
, David Bryce
David Bryce
David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner...
(Burn's partner 1841-50) and David Rhind had begun to move towards an astylar, Italian palazzo-like classicism for some commercial buildings and club-houses, and a Graeco-Baroque grandeur for others -- in both cases, combined with a somewhat Greek sharpness of detail”. With this mindset, a classical revival became highly evident in Scottish architecture. “By the end of the 1840’s, there developed that aspect of neo-Classical architecture, known as Greco-Roman, whose influence was strongest among Scottish banks”.
David Rhind embraced these ideas as he started to construct the building which is now called the Dome. “The front of this banking-house, a really magnificent structure, which has been erected in George Street, exhibits a Corinthian hexastyle portico ninety-five feet in width, of great general beauty, and having a bold but not obtrusive projection; the columns of which it is composed, six in number, as the name of its style indicates, are thirty-five feet high, of very graceful proportions, with a happily adapted intercolumniation, and having elegant well-relieved and spiritedly carved capitals”. In other words, the building is representative of Doric order
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
and Greek classicism. The windows of are arched and simple, very similar to those designed by Palladio in the Villa Godi
Villa Godi
Villa Godi is a patrician villa in Lugo di Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It was one of the first projects by Andrea Palladio, as attested in his monograph I quattro libri dell'architettura...
in figure three. The front architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
is quite comparable to the Temple of Agrigento
Valle dei Templi
The Valle dei Templi is an archaeological site in Agrigento , Sicily, southern Italy. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily as well as a national monument of Italy...
.
The Commercial Bank
Not only did the Commercial Bank capture ideology of society but it also captured a sense of beauty. In April 1847, The ScotsmanThe Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
said, “'the rich and massive architecture of the front', and the interior decoration 'in a style which is not less than gorgeous'". It can be drawn that the interior again resorts back to a classical style with columns and a central dome. David Rhind clearly took advantage of light source, by constructing the dome of glass, as well as giving the building a more modern appeal.
Present day
The Commercial Bank of Scotland, through a series of mergers, is now part of the Royal Bank of ScotlandRoyal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
. However, the walls, windows, floors, and dome of the building remain present today. A building takes a great amount of effort and time to construct, which gives it a high level of importance. Since there is such extensive effort put into erecting buildings, the structures must appropriately fulfill the societal needs. When looking with this mindset, one can better understand the relationship between the structures of the Commercial Bank and the Scottish citizens and how it correlates to Scottish society.
Symbolically, the Commercial Bank represented a capitalist movement, as well as highlighted the enlightened thinking of the Greeks. David Rhind incorporated the use of light by using a glass dome, and made use of space with a large central lobby. Though one of many buildings in a Greek Classical revival, The Dome stands unique on George Street with its stunning pediment and long rich history. The structures, style, art, and rhythm of the Commercial Bank create a three dimensional photo that captures the most important elements comprising Scottish Society.