Cascading down the hillside near the base of the historic Edinburgh Castle and looking down upon the heart of the city, a series of structures lies partially hidden beneath the surface of the earth. Their glass facades peek out from beneath the castle’s lush green gardens, offering intriguing glimpses at what might be inside and luring visitors from one pavilion to the next to interact with civic, commemorative, cultural, and botanical attractions.

That’s exactly what the committee judging the Ross Pavilion International Design Contest was looking for, so it?s no wonder that this proposal from the American architecture firm wHY took home the top prize, beating out a number of strong contenders from big-name firms like the Bjarke Ingels Group. The shortlisted proposals were selected from 125 entries and can all be seen on the competition’s website.
The brief called for an original design that would enhance Edinburgh?s reputation and image ?as a dynamic and creative city,? rejuvenating the existing gardens and enhancing their biodiversity. The gardens not only act as a ?green lung? for the city, but they also serve as a tranquil getaway full of visual and sensory pleasures. The brief also called for entrants to incorporate sustainable values, improved physical and intellectual access, a variety of changing usages from dawn to dusk, and a modern, flexible venue space that could host a combination of small and large-scale events 365 days a year into their pr...