The competition to replace the bandstand in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens with a new £25m pavilion has announced its short list.
Entries from 125 teams, spanning 22 countries and made of 400 individual firms, have been narrowed down to seven finalists in the Ross Bandstand competition.
The seven finalists will be invited to create concept designs for the project, which as well as a new bandstand, includes a visitor centre and "subtle" redevelopment ideas for West Princes Street Gardens in the centre of the city.
The short list includes Adjaye Associates, BIG Bjarke Ingels Group, Flanagan Lawrence, the Scottish based company Page\Park, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, wHY architects, and a bid from William Matthews Associates and Sou Fujimoto Architects of Japan.
Alexander McCall Smith the author, and the architect Ada Yvars are part of the design competition jury.
Councillor Richard Lewis, culture convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: "The response to the competition’s first stage affirms the worldwide interest in Edinburgh and its association with the arts.
"Scotland’s capital is renowned as the World’s Festival City and the home of culture - and designers clearly want to be part of its future.
“The brief at stage two asks for a serious piece of architecture but one that’s also celebratory – it will be fascinating to see what concepts the teams produce."
The Chairman of the Ross Development Trust and Competition Jury Chair, Norman Springford, said: “We were absolutely delighted by the response of designers from around the world to the competition’s first stage.
"The quality of the 125 teams on the long list sent a strong signal that the international design community regards this as an inspirational project for Edinburgh that has huge potential to reinvigorate this prestigious site.
“Selecting the shortlist with our partners from City of Edinburgh Council was an intense and demanding process.
"We’re thrilled that our final shortlist achieved a balance of both international and UK talent, emerging and established studios."
The finalists will be invited to visit the site in April and will have until June to produce their designs.
A public and digital exhibition will be held by the Ross Development Trust this summer to showcase their concept designs.
A winner will be announced in August 2017.
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