Last week we revealed our plan to transform a disused warehouse into a vast exhibition and performance space as part of Hidden Door 2021.
With this year’s festival taking place outdoors at the old Granton Gasworks, we now have the chance to use a nearby warehouse as well, if we can raise the funds to make it happen.
The additional venue will double the footprint of the festival this September and allow us to exhibit the work of recent art graduates whose degree shows were cancelled due to COVID-19.
The graduates, proud parents and audience members alike will be able to immerse themselves in the exhibition experience whilst staying safe and covid-compliant.
To support the plans, we have now launched a Kickstarter campaign with a wide range of rewardsincluding an immersive treasure hunt experience through the festival grounds, exclusive hand-printed T-shirts, VIP passes for the festival, limited edition art prints and lots more.
This will only be possible with your help, so please take a look at the campaign and support us if you can … thank you x
Proposals to create Scotland’s largest ‘net zero’ housing development in Edinburgh have been granted approval by city planners this June.
The 444-home Western Villages is being led by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Glasgow-based contractor CCG (Scotland) and architect Cooper Cromar.
The development will form part of the Granton Waterfront Regeneration, where over 3,500 homes are set to be created over the next ten years, delivering one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including wheelchair-accessible ground-floor dwellings, available in a mix of social (195), mid-market rent (62), market rent (63) and private sale tenures (124).
Designed within a masterplan that will take advantage of stunning parkland and sea views, there will also be greater emphasis placed on pedestrian and cycle movement with electrical car charging, car club accessibility and public transport in favour of traditional car parking which is reduced across the development.
The homes designed to the principles of CCG’s newly launched ‘Net Zero Home’ housebuilding standard. Developed in collaboration with energy and sustainability consultancy, Carbon Futures, the Net Zero Home focuses on enhanced fabric performance, low carbon heating and renewable technology as part of a gas-free energy strategy to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (arising from regulated operational energy use) to a rate less than or equal to zero per year.
With an ambitious target to become a ‘net zero’ city by 2030, this first phase of Granton Waterfront will act as a blueprint for future sustainable development and help Scotland to transition towards a greener economy.
City of Edinburgh Council’s Vice Convener for the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “All of the steps we’re taking to make homes more sustainable will reduce the energy they use once occupied, thereby helping us to tackle climate change and become net zero carbon by 2030. That’s why we’re pleased to have CCG working with us as they adopt a new ground-breaking housebuilding standard.
“It’s great to see this development with a large proportion of social rent homes get planning approval. We have incredibly ambitious plans which form the bedrock of our housing strategy over the next ten years. There is a critical need for more affordable homes in Edinburgh and we are responding to that through the commitment to build 20,000 social and affordable homes by 2027.
“Western Villages forms part of the wider Granton Waterfront regeneration project which will create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks, providing opportunities for residents and visitors to reconnect with the city’s waterfront by offering more areas for leisure and outdoor experiences, civic spaces and sustainable housing.”
CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said:“Housebuilding is going to play a major part in achieving our ambitious target of becoming a ‘net zero’ economy by 2045.
“With gas being removed from new build homes as early as 2024, it places greater emphasis on collaborative working as the partners on this project have demonstrated; utilising the CCG Net Zero Home building standard to create an affordable, scalable and practical solution that can ultimately be delivered now for any residential development.
“We commend the City of Edinburgh Council for their bold commitment and share their aspirations for a more sustainable future for Scotland.”
Cooper Cromar Project Director, Graham Connor, said: “Cooper Cromar are delighted to have been appointed as the Architect to design and deliver this important residential project delivering one of the initial phases of the Granton Waterfront Development Framework which sets out the Urban Design Framework and Design Guidelines for future developments within the wider Granton area.
“We have sought to create a masterplan that not only stands alone for its significance as Scotland’s largest net zero development but also respectful to the wider regeneration of Granton. It will complement and integrate with future phases of housing delivery and we look forward to working with the project partners over the coming years.”
Carbon Futures Director, Andrew Money, said: “We are delighted to have supported City of Edinburgh Council and CCG with their bold and ambitious plans for Western Villages.
“From the outset, the key areas of focus for the design team were to maximise fabric performance and avoid the use of fossil fuels. This approach, together with the use of on-site renewable energy, will greatly reduce energy demand and deliver a significant reduction in utility costs for homeowners.
“The energy strategy for Western Villages delivers a low-carbon development, future-proofed against upcoming government legislation and presents a fantastic example of how the construction industry can support the nationwide effort to reduce carbon emissions and create a more sustainable future.”
Construction of Western Villages is expected to begin in mid-2022.
granton:hubare excited to announce more details about the granton:hub Recycl-age Art Exhibition happening July 9-11th. This event is FREE entry.
Our Recycl-Age Art Exhibition has been included in the Edinburgh Science Festival. The exhibition has also been selected to be part of the Coastal Knowledge and RSE Young Academy of Scotland project, as the satellite arts venue for a 3-day show and artist-run workshop, funded by Edinburgh Local.
The exhibition is featured in the Edinburgh Science Festival Programme under Coastal Knowledge.
The Recycl-age Art Exhibition will be held at granton:hub, Madelvic House, EH5 1HS, on 9th -11th July 2021 from 11am to 6pm each day.
There are 20+ artists exhibiting from painters, printmakers, collage artists, ceramicists, photographers, textile artists, jewellers, composers, poets and makers.
All the artworks that will be exhibited will either incorporate or be entirely made from recycled elements, or reflect on what recycling means, either figuratively or conceptually.
Find out more about the exhibition and view the artists exhibiting on the website:
The first spades were put in the ground today to bring the historic former Granton Station back to life as a high-quality creative workspace at a cost of up to £4.75m.
The project will be part funded through the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Town Centre Fund.
The derelict land in front of the building will also once again be used as a public square for community events and recreation to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.
The station site, due for completion by early 2022, is part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Granton Waterfront project, a key sustainable £1.3bn regeneration of this area, which will make a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net zero carbon city by 2030.
The Council has also been working with the Granton History:Hub to create a temporary exhibition on the hoarding detailing the history of the building and Granton Gasworks.
Cllr Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m pleased to see work starting now as the wider Granton Waterfront project is really taking off.
“We’ve already got three affordable housing sites underway and the former gasholder is illuminated now as a beacon of light for the project for everyone visiting the area to see.
“This is shaping up to be one of Scotland’s leading sustainable new districts and being built at the Waterfront it really will be another fantastic place to live, work and visit in Edinburgh.
“We’re speaking to the local community every step of the way on the Granton Waterfront regeneration and we’ve just finished consulting on a new name for the new public square outside the former station, which we’ll be announcing shortly.”
Cllr Adam McVey, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s great to see work starting to bring this much loved Edwardian building back to life to serve the community it’s central to once again.
“The former Granton Station has a rich industrial heritage which we’re going to display on the site hoardings while work continues. The project will provide a number of jobs while construction is ongoing and the future new enterprise will generate valuable quality local employment opportunities for Edinburgh.”
Phil McDowell, Regional Director at Kier Regional Building North & Scotland, said: “Granton station dates back to the Edwardian times, it’s an important historical building for Edinburgh and we are proud to be renovating it into a modern work space that will once again effectively support the local community.
“We will work collaboratively with Edinburgh Council and our local supply chain partners to deliver this important project which will support the wider transformation of Granton Waterfront.”
The School of Ancient Crafts have been working alongside Granton:Hub volunteers in an experimental archaeology project to re-create a Scottish Iron Age log boat.
After many months of construction and delays due to the pandemic, the log boat is ready to be launched and have a new life on the sea.
The launch will take place on Sunday (20th June) and will begin at the log boat’s current location in granton:hub’s community garden at Madelvic House. The log boat will be transported by a group of volunteers using traditional means – log-rolling – down to Granton Harbour.
You are welcome to join this journey as it takes place from 9.30am.
See granton:hub social media channels for further information.
Scottish Ensemble (SE) and Social Bite are teaming up this summer to spread the joy of shared food and live music with new collaboration Sound Bites.
Based on the notion that these simple pleasures are at the heart of peoples’ lives as social beings, Sound Bites connects the worlds of food and music with a themed picnic box available for audience members to enjoy during upcoming performances as part of month-long outdoor festival Live at No.40.
Scottish Ensemble will bring to life Vivaldi’s iconic masterpiece, The Four Seasons, as audiences enjoy a bespoke picnic of handmade goodies sprinkled with a touch of the Four Seasons by Scottish charity and social enterprise Social Bite. Each picnic basket will contain a duo of tasty baguettes with two different fillings, and depending on dietary preference, a selection of pies, frittatas, sausage rolls, salads and even some of Social Bite’s famous brownie bites.
In solidarity with the Social Bite cause to end homelessness and in keeping with its reputation for thinking outside the (picnic) box, 10% of ticket sales for Scottish Ensemble performances are being donated to Social Bite and its work helping and supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals and communities across Scotland and the UK.
Taking place from the 3 July to 1 August 2021, Live at No.40. will unfold at Scottish Opera’s Production Studio car park at 40 Edington Street, Glasgow. Joined by Scottish Opera and Citizens Theatre in a specially created outdoor theatre, Scottish Ensemble will perform four concerts over two days, accompanied by Scottish charity and social enterprise Social Bite.
At a time when the country is cautiously celebrating new beginnings, Vivaldi’s works of art speaks poignantly to disruption and the inevitability of change with piercing precision. By bringing audiences together, not only for possible the first live performance in over a year, but to ‘break bread’ with fellow music lovers, friends and family, SE and Social Bite mark an important milestone during a turbulent time.
William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble, said: “One of the things we’ve all missed in the last year has been sharing. Sharing time with friends. Sharing experiences. Sharing food. Sharing music.
“Our Sound Bites performances of Vivaldi’s ever-green Four Seasons promise to provide all of the above, but also share a portion of everyone’s ticket purchase with our partners in this project, Social Bite, who do incredibly important work in tackling homelessness.
“We’re really excited to be partnering with them on this project which marks our return to live performance in a characteristically different way.”
Co-founder and CEO of Social Bite, Josh LittleJohn MBE said: “This collaboration will not only be a brilliant celebration of enjoying food, drink and music together, something we’ve all missed over the past year, it’s also an opportunity to bring about real positive change.
“This fantastic event will deliver funding to our innovative programmes that support people out of homelessness and help them to build independent lives.
“We hope everyone who joins us at Sound Bites enjoys the performance, along with our delicious picnics – specifically crafted for this event by our talented kitchen staff of which 1/3 have come from a background of homelessness.
Thank you for your support and for joining us in our mission to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.”
Leading Scottish based events company, 21CC Group recently unveiled the output of months of planning with a new project delivered in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh College.
The creative lighting design company were appointed to transform the iconic gasholder tower into one of Scotland’s biggest works of art, while providing opportunities for students at Edinburgh College to work on a live creative project.
Commenting on the success and long-term objectives of the installation, Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group explained: “We are immensely proud to have been appointed for this project, and of the results achieved by our technical production company, 21CC Productions.
“For us, it’s about giving Edinburgh a new landmark and students hands-on experience with cutting edge equipment, that will enable them to leave school, college or university with the practical skills and head start in some of the key sectors for industry growth across Scotland.
“Over the course of the next 2 years, we are also planning to work alongside Edinburgh College to further support the students with their practical experience on the ground, introducing them to some of the newest technology available and creating a platform for them to learn more about its practical application.”
Through providing students at the college with direct access to this equipment, it is hoped that the innovative lighting project will support the enablement of skills and create an opportunity for students to turn theory into reality across key industry sectors including theatre, media, marketing, lighting design, sound production.
Lead lighting designer on the project – and former pupil of Edinburgh College – Neill Fleming, Lighting Technician for 21CC Group, said: “As a former student of Edinburgh College myself, who has moved into a permanent role within the industry, I am so aware of the importance of real-life experience in creating true understanding and passion for the industry.
“This is an opportunity like no other, and our installation will enable existing students the opportunity to work alongside a leading team of professionals.”
The spectacular launch – including Edinburgh Castle-style chases around the structure – showcased the brand-new lighting displays at Granton Gasholder in all its glory.
The tower has been an important fixture of Edinburgh’s Waterfront for over a century, and the launch itself marked the beginning of a vital regeneration project undertaken by The City of Edinburgh Council, with the display proudly illuminating the skyline for a period of up to two years.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Groupconcludes, “In a year where the event industry as a whole suffered greatly due the significant economic and social impact of Covid, this collaboration is significant on so many different levels, and a true symbol of hope at such a critical time.
“We are really looking forward to supporting the college further by taking some of these students and working to immerse them in some of our larger events later on in the year too.”
The city council are hosting an online event to share proposals for the development of the site adjacent to the former Granton Railway Station this Thursday 27 May at 2-5pm.
Join to find out more about the mixed use development & consultation here:
We will be holding our AGM via Zoom on Wednesday 26th May from5:30 – 6.30pm.
It is open to everyone who would like an update on the progress of the charity.
If you would like to attend, please email grantongarden@gmail.com and we will send you the Zoom link the day before.
If you would like to have a say in what goes on and be able to vote, we would ask you to become a member, which is free and can be done by filling out the attached form (below) and returning it to us via email, post or in-person.
