Chapel of St Albert

The Chapel of Saint Albert the Great, which has been serving students and staff, and the wider community since 1931, is situated on George Square at the University of Edinburgh.

The chapel, designed by Simpson & Brown Architects was completed in late 2012 and aims to provide a modern space for worship but also to increase capacity and improve accessibility.  A new access was created from Middle Meadow Walk so the chapel is now a feature for the many people that walk along this popular route.

The choice of materials and building form were important factors in the design of the building, chosen to achieve the peaceful space required of a chapel, and to connect it to its natural setting of the garden and Meadows beyond. Four tree-like Corten Steel columns support a curved, oak-lined timber roof over the altar and sanctuary spaces.

A thick masonry wall, constructed out of large clay blocks clad with sandstone, interprets the historic boundary between the townhouses and provides a solid mass and weight to the building form. Angled windows are formed within this wall to allow light in and also to maintain the focus towards the sanctuary, providing only oblique views of the garden.  A combination of clerestory glazing, ventilator windows and a lightwell with opening rooflights provides both natural light and ventilation. Daylight is introduced by mirrors and filtered through continuous oak slats along the length of the chapel.

The west wall behind the sanctuary is glazed and connects the chapel with the garden and the changing seasons, which plays an important part in the worship calendar. The external finish on the roof is sedum, again connecting the building to its garden setting, and minimising its visual impact from above.

Chapel of St Albert the Great, Edinburgh, Scotland
Program: chapel
Architects: Simpson & Brown Architects
Completion: 2012