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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Library for Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland
Edinburgh
A listed
Scotland
Six local practices invited to compete. Cost: £23,000.

\'Who\'s who in Architecture\' (1914) gives George Mackie Watson and John Watson as winners of the first premium; in fact they were runners up and received first premium. George Washington Browne received second premium. Dunn won the competition and received the commission. The competition was initially open only to a short list of invited entrants: it was subsequently opened to further competitors.

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

Alt classic

NameCurrent NameNotes
Solicitors' LibraryNo
Solicitors' BuildingsYes

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
LibraryNot Known

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:

Str Add classic

AddressCurrent AddressNotes
94-114 CowgateYes

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
Competition held1888Competition design. James Bow Dunn received commission; McArthy & Watson got 1st premium, Browne got 2nd premium. Sydney Mitchell invited to compete
18881890
1889Design by Browne exhibited

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
Alexander Nisbet Paterson1888Competition design - unplaced
Archibald Macpherson1888Competition design - unplaced
Arthur George Sydney MitchellB1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Blanc & GordonC1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
David MacGibbonD1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
David McArthyA1888First premiated competition design (entered jointly with George Mackie Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
George Henderson1888Competition design - unplaced
George Mackie WatsonA1888First premiated competition design (entered jointly with McArthy & Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
George Washington Browne1888Second premiated competition design
George WilsonB1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Hippolyte Jean BlancC1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
James Bow Dunn18881890Secured job but not premiated in competition
James GordonC1888Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
John Kinross1888Competition design - unplaced
John Lumsdaine1888Competition design - unplaced

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Braidwood, Niall C1988Dunn and Findlay and The Scotsman BuildingRIBA Dissertation 1988pp5-13
Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions…London: Mansell PublishingGives final placing: 1 James Bow Dunn; 2 McArthy & Watson; 3 George Washington Browne
RSA1889789, 790 (Dunn);797, 791 (McArthy & Watson)
Scottish Civic Trust1983Historic Buildings at Work: a guide to the historic buildings of Scotland used by Central GovernmentScottish Civic Trust/Property Services Agency, Department of the Environmentpp94-5
Who's Who in Architecture1914For George Mackie Watson and John Watson - given as winner in this

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Builder1888ELIVp218
Building News1888/03/23*
Scotsman1888/07/07*
British Architect1888/07/13*
Scottish Leader1892/07/20*
Builder1888LLVp30
Building News1888/06/22*Sydney Mitchell design
British Architect1888/08/24*

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersJames Bow Dunn: F v15 p131 no1006 (microfilm reel 11)
SSCSederunt Book about design and construction of library
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register28600