William Henry Playfair
Encyclopedia
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...
.
He was born in 15 July 1790 in Russell Square
Russell Square
Russell Square is a large garden square in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is near the University of London's main buildings and the British Museum. To the north is Woburn Place and to the south-east is Southampton Row...
, London, to James Playfair
James Playfair
James Playfair was a Scottish architect who worked largely in the Neoclassical tradition. He was born in Benvie near Dundee, where his father was the parish minister. He was the brother of William Playfair the engineer, and the mathematician John Playfair...
and Jessie Graham. Playfair's father James Playfair was also an architect and his uncles were John Playfair
John Playfair
John Playfair FRSE, FRS was a Scottish scientist and mathematician, and a professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He is perhaps best known for his book Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth , which summarized the work of James Hutton...
, the scientist, and William Playfair
William Playfair
William Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist, the founder of graphical methods of statistics....
, an economist and pioneer of information graphics
Information graphics
Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics present complex information quickly and clearly, such as in signs, maps, journalism, technical writing, and education...
.
Two of his finest works are the neo-classical buildings of the National Gallery of Scotland
National Gallery of Scotland
The National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
and the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy Building
The Royal Scottish Academy Building, situated in the centre of Edinburgh, was designed by William Henry Playfair during the 19th century. Along with the adjacent National Gallery of Scotland, their neo-classical design helped transform Edinburgh in to a modern day Athens of the North.The building...
which are situated in the centre 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...
. The Playfair Project
Playfair Project
The Playfair Project created an underground link between the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy Building. The project was named after William Henry Playfair, the original designer of both buildings...
completed in 2004 joined the two historic buildings with an underground link.
He was greatly inspired by his trip to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Playfair died in Edinburgh on 19 March 1857, and is buried in Edinburgh's Dean Cemetery
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a prominent cemetery in the Dean Village, in Edinburgh, Scotland.-Dean House:It stands on the site of Dean House , part of Dean Estate which had been purchased in 1609 by Sir William Nisbet, who became in 1616 Lord Provost of Edinburgh. The Nisbets of Dean held the office of...
, where he designed a number of monuments for others, including Lord Jeffrey.
Timeline of major projects
- 1817 Appointed architect to complete design work on the Old College, University of EdinburghOld College, University of EdinburghOld College is a building of the University of Edinburgh. It is located on South Bridge, and presently houses parts of the University's administration, the University of Edinburgh School of Law, and the Talbot Rice Gallery...
, on the basis of his proposals to complete the plans originated by Robert AdamRobert AdamRobert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
. The building was completed around 1831. - 1818 Commissioned by the will of the late Captain John McNabb to design Dollar AcademyDollar AcademyDollar Academy was founded in 1818, which makes it the oldest co-educational day and boarding school in the world. The open campus occupies a site in the centre of the thriving town of Dollar in Central Scotland, less than 40 minutes drive from the two main Scottish cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh...
, where a building is now named after him - 1820 Calton New Town, Edinburgh (includes Regent Terrace and Royal Terrace), completed only in 1860
- circa 1820 City Observatory, Calton HillCalton Hill, EdinburghCalton 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....
- 1821-24 Royal Terrace, New Town, Edinburgh only completed in 1860
- 1822 Commissioned by the Institution for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in Scotland. The building was opened in 1826 and is now the Royal Scottish Academy BuildingRoyal Scottish Academy BuildingThe Royal Scottish Academy Building, situated in the centre of Edinburgh, was designed by William Henry Playfair during the 19th century. Along with the adjacent National Gallery of Scotland, their neo-classical design helped transform Edinburgh in to a modern day Athens of the North.The building...
, Edinburgh - 1823 Royal Circus, New Town, Edinburgh
- 1824 In collaboration with Charles Robert CockerellCharles Robert CockerellCharles Robert Cockerell was an English architect, archaeologist, and writer.-Life:Charles Robert Cockerell was educated at Westminster School from 1802. From the age of sixteen, he trained in the architectural practice of his father, Samuel Pepys Cockerell...
, designed an exact replica of the ParthenonParthenonThe Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
which was to be built on top of Calton HillCalton Hill, EdinburghCalton 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....
as the National Monument, EdinburghNational Monument, EdinburghThe National Monument of Scotland, popularly referred to as Scotland's Disgrace, the Pride and Poverty of Scotland or Edinburgh's Shame, is an unfinished building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh...
. However due to lack of investment it was never finished and became known as Edinburgh's Disgrace. - 1825 Regent TerraceRegent TerraceRegent Terrace is a residential street of 34 classical 3-bay townhouses built on the tail of Calton Hill in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Regent Terrace is within the Edinburgh New and Old Town UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1995.- Houses :...
, New Town, Edinburgh - 1826 John PlayfairJohn PlayfairJohn Playfair FRSE, FRS was a Scottish scientist and mathematician, and a professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He is perhaps best known for his book Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth , which summarized the work of James Hutton...
Monument, (he was William Henry's uncle), Calton Hill, Edinburgh - 1827 - 1828 St Stephen's ChurchSt. Stephen's Church, EdinburghSaint Stephen's Church is located in the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, at the bottom of Saint Vincent Street. It was built in 1827-1828, to a design by architect William Henry Playfair ....
, St Stephen's Place, SilvermillsSilvermillsSilvermills once an ancient village, has been part of the Edinburgh New Town since 1809.As the name suggests, the village was centred around a mill for Silver...
, Edinburgh - 1829 Drumbanagher HouseDrumbanagher HouseDrumbanagher House , near Poyntzpass, County Armagh, was a large country house in Northern Ireland designed for Maxwell Close by William Playfair in 1829, being "one of his grandest country houses."...
(demolished) - 1830 - 1832 For the Royal College of Surgeons of EdinburghRoyal College of Surgeons of EdinburghThe Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
, Surgeons' Hall, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh - 1831 Dugald Stewart MonumentDugald Stewart MonumentThe Dugald Stewart Monument is a memorial to the Scottish philosopher Dugald Stewart . It is situated on top of Calton Hill, overlooking Edinburgh city centre....
, Calton Hill, Edinburgh - circa 1837 renovations to Floors CastleFloors CastleFloors Castle, on the western outskirts of Kelso, south-east Scotland, is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe. Despite its name it is a country house, rather than a fortress. It was built in the 1720s by the architect William Adam for the 1st Duke, possibly incorporating an earlier tower house...
, outskirts of Kelso, Scottish Borders - 1846 - 1850 New College, EdinburghNew College, EdinburghNew College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh...
- August 30, 1850 Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the National Gallery of ScotlandNational Gallery of ScotlandThe National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
. adjacent to The Royal Scottish Academy. - 1851 Donaldson's CollegeDonaldson's CollegeDonaldson's School, in Linlithgow is Scotland's national residential and day school, providing education, therapy and care for pupils who are deaf or who have communication difficulties.-Headteacher and management team:...
, Edinburgh - 1852 Dunstane HouseDunstane HouseDunstane House is located in the west of Edinburgh on West Coates, part of the A8 in Edinburgh. It is close to Haymarket train station, Murrayfield Stadium and Edinburgh Zoo.-Dunstane Villa:...
- now a Hotel in west of Edinburgh - 1859 National Gallery of ScotlandNational Gallery of ScotlandThe National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
opened to the public two years after Playfair's death.