A new Holmes Miller designed multi-use events Pavilion for the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston near Edinburgh marks an exciting new chapter for the organisation. 

BACKGROUND

The Scots baronial styled Ingliston House (1846) and the Sir Basil Spence designed MacRobert Pavilion (1965) was the centrepiece of the Royal Highland Centre.  The Pavilion formed the hub of activity for RHASS members during the annual Royal Highland Show (RHS), which takes place for 4 days every June and attracts almost 200,000 visitors.  Having stood for some 50 years the MacRobert Pavilion had become tired, while RHASS’ requirements had evolved, and a new showpiece Pavilion was required to become the banner of a new forward-facing organisation.

 Holmes Miller were commissioned based on our experience in the Civic / Leisure sector with a view to conceptualising their aspirations for an all-year-round new multi-use events space to replace the MacRobert Pavilion.  From the outset the Client called for a flexible building capable of hosting events for the 361 days of the year out with the RHS.  The facility had to be capable of hosting events, conferences, meetings, gala dinners and weddings all year round, in addition to the Show.  In conjunction with that, a firm budget, challenging timescale, and a Client body of some 18,000 members defined the challenge with which Holmes Miller had to deliver.

PLANNING AND CONTEXT

The Client’s design criteria called for a main function space(s) capable of hosting 360 persons, a separate members bar, support accommodation in the form of production kitchen, WCs, stores, and entrance areas. The overall events capacity would place the Pavilion in the top 5 for Edinburgh venues.

The MacRobert Pavilion addressed the main Oval showground, sitting adjacent to the Ingliston House.  Initial precedent studies / design charettes produced a pattern of building styles, all of which possessed a distinctive roof form as the defining design cue.  The overall impression is to create a building which is a contemporary take on the traditional farmstead building form.  Holmes Miller sought to provide a flexible, modern design suited to the times while reflecting the Client’s heritage.

DESIGN RESPONSE

Exploiting the site topography, the new single storey Pavilion sits elevated above the surrounding landscape to the North and East.  To the West and South, the building merges into existing levels. The building acts as a "view-finder" to the surrounding Showground.  A covered veranda with a landscaped stepped terrace is positioned between both as a transition device, drawing the lush green landscape to the North elevation whilst providing a spectator gallery during the annual show.

A simple and confident approach to mass and form was favoured to juxtapose with the elaborate vernacular of Ingliston house and a simple silhouette is the result. The North facade provides a viewfinder to the Showground for patrons to take in the view.

The external appearance comprises appropriately selected materials of facing brick, precast concrete, and red cedar cladding to suit the contextual environment, provide character, and visual identity. Scale, texture, and colour are all carefully considered.

Internally, oak timber is used extensively to adorn walls and ceilings in the main events spaces and entrance areas, with high quality brick drawn inside as feature walling. Full height glazing is carefully aligned to provide a picture window to the surrounding landscape to the North from the main events spaces.

SUSTAINABILITY

The strategy for the building has been to adopt a fabric first approach. The design intent was to minimise energy consumption by the appropriate design of the building fabric elements along with the air tightness detailing. This ensured that the energy loads for heating and cooling for the building are kept to a minimum.

Several passive, active and LZC technology measures for the building services solution have been adopted, including:

• Passive Design Measures - Enhanced fabric insulation, air tightness and simple building form. Crucial to the building design is the orientation of the building. The building orientation has been chosen primarily to provide views over the show arena and allow the main glazed area to be orientated North West which reduces the risk of excessive solar gain, and provides a South West facing roof which maximises the output of a roof mounted PV array.

• Active Design Measures - Heat Recovery Ventilation, Efficient HVAC systems, Efficient lighting, and lighting controls.

• Low and Zero Carbon Technologies - Heat Recovery Heat Pump to provide heating & cooling to the Hospitality Suite, roof-mounted Photovoltaic panels to provide electricity to the building (in addition to mains electricity).

In summary Holmes Miller sought to provide a flexible, modern design suited to the times while reflecting the Client’s heritage - the Pavilion proposal achieves this and has already become the symbol of a new, forward thinking RHASS estate.