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Edinburgh Waterfront
Comparisons |
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Proposals for future developments at Edinburgh's Waterfront frequently
make comparisons with developments overseas. Here are a few of the
comparisons that I have noticed; |
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EDINBURGH WATERFRONT
Comparisons with:
Sydney
and
San Francisco |
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An early announcement for a possible development
of Edinburgh's Waterfront was made in 1987:
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"I
make no apology for the size of the vision" said Mr Bill Thomson,
chairman of Edinburgh Maritime earlier this week, as he announced a
project to develop Edinburgh's frontage on to the Firth of Forth
into a waterfront environment "comparable with Sydney or San
Francisco".
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Financial Times, 19 September
1987, p.3 |
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LEITH
Comparisons with:
Copenhagen, Prague, Venice, Newcastle,
Bilbao, Amsterdam |
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Long-term proposals
for Leith Docks, announced by architects, RMJM, in June 2005 include:
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"Striking
buildings to emulate landmarks in cities like Copenhagen, Prague,
Venice-style apartment blocks and Scotland's tallest building are
planned."
"Forth Ports are still hopeful that the
area will boast an equivalent to Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum"
"There is no reason why Leith could not
emulate the kind of waterside housing developments which feature in
the likes of Amsterdam or buildings like the Fred & Ginger
[Prague] or
the Black Diamond [Copenhagen]."
"... around 120 apartments on little
islands, each with space for a boat underneath like they have in
Amsterdam's eastern docklands. |
Reference is made to landmarks to emulate:
- Venice-style apartment blocks, virtually
surrounded by water and complete with their own storage space for boats.
- Scotland's answer to Newcastle's 'winking
bridge' to link Ocean Terminal with a new man-made island in the
docklands. |
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Edinburgh Evening News 30 June
2005, pp.1-2 |
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GRANTON
Comparisons with:
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Vancouver, Dubai,
Amsterdam, Venice |
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Long-term proposals
for Granton announced in June 2005 included the following comments:
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"It
has been hailed as a waterfront that could rival Copenhagen and
Stockholm."
"... a major new museum or art gallery
to rival Copenhagen's famous Louisiana complex"
"... a bid, led by the city council,
to see Edinburgh's waterfront transformed into one to rival the
likes of Copenhagen, Sotckholm and Vancouver"
"... with three upmarket hotels ...
including one on an artificial island, some even say Granton will
come to challenge Dubai."
"... a new teardrop-shaped island could
draw comparison with the seven-star Burjal Al Arab Hotel in Dubai."
"Other European cities, such as
Amsterdam and Venice , with their islands, canals and picturesque
walkways, are being used as examples of what the Capital must strive
for." |
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Edinburgh Evening News 30 June
2005, pp.26, 27 |
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GRANTON
Comparisons with:
Stockholm, San Francisco, Copenhagen,
Vancouver |
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Letter to Edinburgh Evening News:
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"...
we should be setting our sites on cities with beautiful waterfront
areas like Stockholm, San Francisco, Copenhagen or Vancouver." |
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Edinburgh Evening News 1 July 2005 |
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LEITH
Comparisons with:
London and Bilbao |
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Comments made on the announcement of a proposed
new cruise liner terminal at Leith Docks included the following comments
on the wider developments for Edinburgh Waterfront:
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"A major outdoor theatre space inside an
existing dry dock and a contemporary art gallery on the edge of the
docklands are also envisaged as part of the scheme.
The architects want to create an iconic
visitor attraction to emulate the likes of Bilbao's Guggenheim
Museum or the Tate Modern art gallery in London for the area in
order to create a striking impression for the new visitor to the
city."
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Edinburgh Evening News 17
September 2005, p.11 |
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CRAMOND to JOPPA BROADWALK
Comparisons with:
Atlantic City, New Jersey |
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Commenting on proposals to create a ten-mile "broadwalk"
along the coast of the Firth of Forth from Cramond to Joppa, the Edinburgh
Evening News reported:
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"The
council has identified Atlantic City in New Jersey as the most
famous example of a 'broadwalk' waterfront development, although it
has also seen a proliferation of the kind of casinos and bars which
the council is anxious to avoid."
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Edinburgh Evening News January 7,
2006: pp.1,8,9 |
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PORTOBELLO
Comparisons with:
Bondi Beach, Sydney
and
Barcelona's Waterfront |
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It was reported in January 2006 that the
Community Arts Project in Portobello, Big Things on the Beach, has
been awarded £47,828 by the Scottish Arts Council and the National
Lottery.
This should enable public arts projects in
Portobello to be commissioned and developed.
The Evening News reported:
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"...
'Big Things on the Beach' was launched in 2004 to transform
Portobello into a top-class cultural beach resort, following the
example of Bondi Beach in Sydney and Barcelona's waterfront.
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Portobello art installations, since the launch of
Big Things on the Beach, have been:
- 2004; Blue Moon - a
sculpture made of steel, plastic and chains.
- 2005: A sculpture featuring giant
windsocks on the beach. |
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Edinburgh Evening News January 9,
2006: p.11 |
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LEITH
Comparisons with:
Cardiff |
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A new Visitor Center is proposed for Leith.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports:
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"It is one of Britain's most striking
and unusual buildings, and has been affectionately known for years
as 'The Tube'
Now the famous waterfront icon in
Cardiff is set to inspire a version in the heart of Leith.
Nathan Thompson, managing director of
Forth Ports said: ' ... Over the longer term we propose developing a
larger facility more in keeping with the one at Cardiff Bay, which
will act as an attraction in its own right'." |
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Edinburgh Evening News July 7,
2006: p.3. |
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LEITH
CROW'S NEST VIEWING PLATFORM
Comparisons with:
Glasgow, London, Portsmouth |
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Comments made on the proposal to build a "Crow's
Nest" visitors' viewing platform at Leith Docks:
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"It
is based on the form of a ship under construction and is intended to
complement the shape of the nearby Victoria Bridge. I've tried
to capture the maritime feel of the port and reflect the shipping
history which poeple strongly associate with Leith"
[Piotr Bloniewski designer of the Crow's Nest]
"The Leith viewing platform is intended
to be Edinburgh's answer to the tower at the Glasgow Science Centre,
which has earned a five-star rating from VisitScotland.
Other landmark viewpoint attractions
around the UK include One Canada Square in London's docklands and
the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth."
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Edinburgh Evening News September
6, 2007: p.5 |
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LEITH
FORTH PORTS' MASTERPLAN
Comparison with:
Gateshead |
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Forth Ports have created a Masterplan, looking
forwards 30 years.
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1.
"Parisian-style
cafes also feature heavily and during the summer people will be able
to sit out and admire the views across the rejuvenated dock land and
views across the Forth."
2.
"A major new concert arena is likely to
be at the cornerstone of a new "cultural hub" at the waterfront.
Forth Ports has previously released
plans for the 3,000-seater concert hall to attract top pop and
classical artists.
It is said to be keen to create a venue
along the lines of the Sage Centre in Gateshead, which attracted 1.4
million visitors in its first two years .."
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Edinburgh Evening News September
4, 2007: pp.12, 13 |
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