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Creative Laboratories
Creative Laboratories
In October 2010, ESW was awarded the Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh, an award of £3M funded by anonymous donors. The award will enable us to expand the Sculpture Centre and create a world class research and production facility in Newhaven.
Designed by Sutherland Hussey Architects, the Creative Laboratories is a unique building which will be situated beside the Bill Scott Sculpture Centre and is scheduled to open in early 2014.
At present the site is being cleared and trees have been removed in preparation for the demolition of the old building. An unoccupied magpie nest was salvaged by an artist during the tree removal and is currently part of an exhibition in Los Angeles and the old sleepers which formed the "fence" will be re-used in a garden outside Edinburgh.
What Will Be On Offer
The Creative Laboratories will provide a mix of indoor and open-air workspaces around a central courtyard with a new access route from the cycle path. Together with the Sculpture Centre, the facility will create a vibrant cultural hub of benefit to the whole city and the addition of viewing areas and a café will open up the space to far more visitors than we can currently accommodate.
The primary purpose of the competition was to fund a building of exceptional architectural and cultural merit within the City of Edinburgh to enable residents and visitors to the city to experience or participate in the arts. The Arts Funding Prize represents a major investment in future generations of artists and will be an important resource for the local community in Newhaven as well as the city as a whole.
Funded by the Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh awarded by Foundation Scotland.
“I believe that the creation of the Creative Laboratories, combined with ESW’s sculpture centre, will put Edinburgh on the international stage as a destination for contemporary sculpture and its production.” Jenny Dawe, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council
Creative Laboratories Timeline
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November 2008 |
Open Call for proposals to the Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh. |
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April 2009 |
Deadline for applications. |
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June 2009 |
ESW announced as one of three organisations shortlisted for the next phase of detailed development. During this period ESW carried out extensive consultation, developed designs to RIBA Stage D, updated the business plan and obtained planning permission for the new building. Also shortlisted were Edinburgh College of Art and the Scottish Book Trust. |
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April 2010 |
Deadline for submitting final applications. |
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October 2010 |
Final presentations to the judging panel. ESW announced as the winner of the Prize. |
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What’s Next |
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July 2011 |
Design team develop final plans for the building. |
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September 2011 |
RIBA Stage D Report and land purchase from CEC completed. |
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March 2012 |
RIBA Stage E report. |
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November 2012 |
Tender Issue. |
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May 2013 |
Site Start. |
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June 2014 |
Building scheduled for completion. |
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Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop is located in Newhaven. |
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