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Edinburgh, London Road, Meadowbank Sports Centre, Velodrome

Graffiti(S) (21st Century), Piece(S) (21st Century), Tag(S) (21st Century), Velodrome (20th Century)

Site Name Edinburgh, London Road, Meadowbank Sports Centre, Velodrome

Classification Graffiti(S) (21st Century), Piece(S) (21st Century), Tag(S) (21st Century), Velodrome (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Meadowbank Stadium; Meadowbank Velodrome

Canmore ID 292501

Site Number NT27SE 524.01

NGR NT 28176 74327

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/292501

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Architecture Notes

NT27SE 524.01 28176 74327

See also: NT27SE 524 27903 74358 Sports Centre & Stadium

Meadowbank Sports Centre is a large multi-purpose sports complex in the Meadowbank area of Edinburgh. Originally constructed for the 1970 Commonwealth Games, it also hosted the Games in 1986. Today the complex functions as a public sports centre, a training facility for professional athletes, and venue for events such as exhibitions, concerts, conferences, and meetings.

Designed by Stuart Harris, Thomas Hughes, and Brian Armistead of the City Architect’s Department (1968), the complex comprises both indoor and outdoor facilities, including a stadium, outdoor pitches, an indoor centre, and a velodrome.

The stadium at the west end of the site has a capacity of approximately 15,000. It includes grandstand and bench seating, and a grass pitch surrounded by an eight-lane 400 m running track. The grandstand displays an externally expressed structure of concrete beams and columns to the south at London Road.

The main entrance to the indoor centre is from the south at London Road. Immediately inside there are reception and foyer areas. To the west below the grandstand there is an indoor athletics concourse and three range halls, and to the north there are several large games halls as well as lounges and meeting rooms.

The outdoor velodrome at the east end of the site has a 250 m wooden track for speed cycling.

RCAHMS surveyed Meadowbank Sports Centre in 2009 in response to the March 2008 proposal by the City of Edinburgh Council to demolish and redevelop the site, selling part of it off to private housing developers.

Activities

Field Visit (4 June 2017)

The outside of the Edinburgh velodrome and the surrounding buildings are liberally covered with graffiti ranging from tags to complex pieces.

Visited by HES (AGCH, ZB) 4 June 2017.

Standing Building Recording (19 April 2018 - 20 April 2018)

NT 27936 74341 A historic building survey was undertaken, 19 – 20 April 2016, in advance of the demolition of the sports centre and velodrome and the upgrading of the stadium.

The stadium complex was constructed 1967 – 70 in advance of the Commonwealth Games in July 1970. It was designed in a modernist and brutalist style in brick and concrete by Stuart Harris, Thomas R Hughes and Brian T Armitstead of the City Architect’s Department. The site consists of a large running track and with stadium seating to the W, a three-storey sports centre with two basement levels to the centre, and field courts and a large velodrome to the E of the site. Used again for the 1986 Commonwealth Games, the site was due to be demolished for housing in the early 21st century, but these plans were put on hold.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Thomas and Adamson

Diana Sproat – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 19)

References

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