(Re)Placement: Procuring Permanence in the City aims to identify and utilise a perceived condition of ‘emptiness’ in the New Town to create a vibrant, diverse and socially sustainable community centred in the heart of the city of Edinburgh, in response to a lack of current community provision, a low resident population and a current skew towards consumer and tourist-based interests. The project seizes upon pre-existing challenges that have been accelerated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the widespread closing of high street retail units and the abandonment of luxury Airbnbs, and seeks to turn these into opportunities for housing, leisure and work provision, with a focus on re-integrating and accommodating the needs of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing homelessness.
