Famed for its many outstanding gems of architecture, as well as some dismaying carbuncles, the city of Edinburgh is admired internationally.
An informed and focused guidebook by leading architectural critic Robin Ward for locals and visitors now offers us the opportunity to deepen and enliven our experience of its remarkable built environment.
Seeing each building as if for the first time is what Ward invites people to do. A Glaswegian, Ward brims with enthusiasm for the capital, which is now his home.
His commentaries are as well-focused as his own crisp photographs of each building under consideration. Ward is not afraid to make his views clear if he thinks architects and planners have made a mistake but his selection concentrates on buildings, dating from medieval to modern times, that bring him joy.
Addressing the fact that Edinburgh has only recently started to acknowledge its involvement in the slave trade, Ward comments: ‘Edinburgh’s narrative of enlightenment and cultural heritage ignores many ghosts. Those at Sugarhouse Close are from the slave trade – sugar produced by African slaves on colonial plantations in the West Indies was processed at a refinery in the close.’
Six tours, for walking, cycling, travelling by car or public transport, are accompanied by maps which show the location of every building Ward considers and while each tour can be done in a day, the clearly numbered maps make it easy to customise routes. The tours encompass architecturally interesting but lesser known areas far from the city centre. All come with the first-class insights of Robin Ward.
‘Scotland’s capital city is unique for its layers of historic buildings on a volcanic landscape eroded by an Ice Age glacier. No other city shows its social and topographical development as dramatically.’ ROBIN WARD
Publication date: Thursday 22 January 2021.
Exploring Edinburgh: Six Tours of the City and its Architecture by Robin 978-1-913025-57-1 paperback £10.99
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