Royal Victoria Hospital Administration Block, Craigleith Road, Edinburgh

2 storey, 5 bay traditional Scots administration block with single storey and attic wing linking to Italianate dining hall with prominent campanile. Rendered masonry with ashlar to doorpiece and wallhead window margins. Purple ashlar masonry to dining hall.

The administration block at the Royal Victoria Hospital is a highly distinctive building which makes free use of two different styles, very much in the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement which looked to traditional styles and methods in reaction to mass production and mechanisation. The building was designed by Sydney Mitchell who is a well known architect of the period who made use of a range of styles in his work. The administration building is one of the most pleasing of Mitchell & Wilson s hospital designs. The building typifies concern of late Victorians and Edwardians to treat ill persons in buildings surrounded by gardens & villas rather than in obvious institutions. The hospital began as a rest home for consumptives. During the First World War it was requisitioned for use as a specialist neurological treatment unit. There were a series of distinctive butterfly plan pavilions laid out on the site. These were demolished in the late 20th century and the hospital is now housed in a 1968 brick building by Reich, Hall and Partners. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

3 September 2020: Parts of the Royal Victoria Hospital site are understood to have been redeveloped. It is unclear whether the former admin building has yet been re-used. The wider site is recorded on Vacant & Derelict Land survey. For Investigation.

22 October 2020: External inspection finds this building disused, vacant and in overall Poor condition. The main entrance block appears to be in Fair condition with boarded-up openings and some blocked gutters but the rear blocks are in Poor condition. Many windows have been boarded over and with much of the glazing damaged, in particular the large window to the rear of the dining block. Likely that birds have access. Rooflights are damaged and there are areas of slate loss and slipped slates. Some clay roof ridges missing. Gutters and downpipes are damaged and blocked by vegetation growths with associated areas of damp from water ingress on the roof and walls. Extensive vegetation growths are beginning to take hold on the grounds. Doors are boarded over or damaged. Site is secured by security fencing and Police CCTV. Moved condition to Poor and risk category to Moderate. Moved to At Risk.

16 November 2021: Local planners note the side is allocated for housing in the proposed City Plan 2030.