UK-based infrastructure company Balfour Beatty has secured a £162m ($215.57m) contract from IMPACT Scotland to build the Dunard Centre, which will become Edinburgh’s first purpose-built concert hall in over 100 years.
The Royal Bank of Scotland is backing the Dunard Centre, which will feature acoustics planned by Japan-based Nagata Acoustics.
The centre will also be the first concert hall worldwide to be designed by David Chipperfield Architects in collaboration with Reiach and Hall Architects.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, with completion anticipated in 2029.
The project will include a 1,000-seat auditorium, as well as a café, bar, and spaces designed for different events.
The development also includes an in-situ concrete double basement, which will provide changing rooms and storage for performers, along with other back-of-house services.
The Dunard Centre will comprise a five-storey steel frame and a facade made up of precast concrete panels.
Its interior will feature solid oak panelling in the main hall, designed to enhance acoustics.
At its busiest point, the project expects to employ approximately 200 people.
Balfour Beatty’s appointment follows an 18-month period of collaboration with IMPACT Scotland and various design and engineering partners.
During this time, the team developed construction methods, scheduled sequencing, and outlined logistics for the city centre site located behind St Andrew Square.
Balfour Beatty Scotland regional business managing director Nick Rowan said: “We are proud to be entrusted with delivering what will become a nationally significant cultural venue in the heart of Edinburgh and have worked meticulously to plan every stage of this complex build, from construction logistics in a tightly constrained site, to the precision needed to achieve world-class acoustic performance.
“Our focus now is on safe, efficient and high-quality delivery, working closely with our local supply chain while creating meaningful jobs, apprenticeships and skills opportunities throughout the programme.”
The planned works will employ 4D digital planning tools to coordinate tasks and reduce disruption.
Throughout the build, Balfour Beatty plans to create at least five new apprenticeships and support ongoing skills development through the Modern Apprenticeship Scottish Vocational Qualification scheme.
The project will involve Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises as part of its supply chain engagement initiatives.
On completion, the Dunard Centre will serve as the permanent base for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and function as a venue for the Edinburgh International Festival.
Organisers estimate that the new facility could attract around 200,000 visitors each year.
