Old Schoolhouse, from historic building to community centre

19.04.2023 | Education

The Schoolhouse project in Edinburgh is a clear example of how a historic building can be much more than just a piece of architecture to admire. Architects Mills + McCullough decided to take up the challenge set by Cornerstone Free Church, who wanted to turn the old schoolhouse into a community centre. 'We loved this historic old building and considered it a great privilege to be able to care for it and maintain it as an asset for use by the wider community,' say the management of the Scottish charity.

All said and done! For 200 years this former school has served the local population, and thanks to the work of Mills + McCullough it will continue to do so. The project has shown that a historic building can be reused in a creative and sustainable way.

They have worked to improve the building's capacity, increase flexibility and restore features that had been lost over time. The building now has a dynamic relationship with the street that fulfils Cornestone's aspirations to reconnect the activities within the building with the surrounding context.

The subdivision of the main hall had limited its openness to the community, but the new entrance allows the full potential of this historic core to be showcased. The result is a building that makes the most of the available space to create a series of light filled public rooms with generous proportions.

Stacking chair for for multi-purpose spaces

MASS Chair at the Old Schoolhouse Community Centre, Edinburgh (UK)

The finished project reflects a careful approach to retaining the best of the building while transforming it into a valuable contemporary facility that complements its setting.

Several awards attest to the success of the Old Schoolhouse. The EAA Architecture Awards 2021 jury considered that 'intelligent plan resolutions and contextual architectural inspirations ensure that the architectural delivery is respectful, honest, educated and rich'.

The project was also nominated for Architects Journal awards in the Community, Cultural and Health category.

The MASS Chair to serve the community

Several multi-purpose rooms in the centre have been equipped with the MASS Chair designed by ITEMdesignworks for Sellex. In fact, the project's interior design team chose several versions of this useful and elegant seat. The MASS Basic Chair and the MASS Chair with Armrests, both with a black frame and an anthracite grey shell, are distributed throughout the building.

Several MASS Chairs stacked in one of the rooms of the Old Schoolhouse Centre in Edinburgh)

This design is perfect for multi-purpose spaces such as the Old Schoolhouse as it can be stacked up to 40 units on a trolley or 20 on the floor.

Both the seat and backrest are made of polypropylene with a textured finish and is available in different colours and upholsteries. MASS is a stackable and lightweight chair, with a pure and timeless aesthetic capable of blending into the space where it is installed.

In this project we have contributed with a total of 120 chairs and 4 trolleys to transport them easily. Undoubtedly, it is an honour for Sellex to have been part of such a unique transformation as the Old Schoolhouse and to be able to be inside a historic building that is now also a centre designed for the community.