Beyophytes and Buildings: St Leonards Street


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St Leonards Street

Housing in St Leonards	St Leonards Street Along the East side of St Leonards Street, there are two brick build buildings which stand in striking contrast to the older tenements that face them across the street. The first is a housing block and the other a Police HQ. Although built for different purposes, these buildings sit well together and provide a unified aspect to their side of the street. Designed by the architect Frazer Brown, the tenement block was built In 1989 in a formal neoclassical style using golden brick.
A Touch of the "Med" Some parts of the buildings have a distinctly 'Mediterranean' feel about them. These buildings provide a welcome change to the drab grey tenements which line the opposite site of St Leonards Street.
	The Sunny Side of the Street The trees that line the street along the front of the houses up to the Police HQ provide a living contrast to the neat brickwork of the buildings. This part of St Leonards Street, which runs in a North-South direction, enjoys the sun from the South most of the year and from the West in the Summer months. When the sun does shine on the building, the brickwork positively glows with warmth.
Our Local Police Station Situated further up St Leonards Street we find the Central Division Police HQ. Built in 1989 and designed by Lothian Region Architects, this building echos the brown brick construction of the housing further down the street. The striking entrance to the Police HQ, with its pediment and flanking oriel windows, may not always be noticed by visitors intent on reporting lost keys, dogs or children.
	The Bay Window The HQ also possesses a rather grand bay window that overlooks St Leonards Street. The bay widow spans two stories and is supported by two columns. The choice of blue for the panels provides a strong but harmonious contrast with the orange-brown brickwork.
A Home for Moss Ornate brick paving that extends along the front of both the tenements and the Police HQ provides another unifying feature for the two buildings. The bricks provide an firm support for the human traffic that proceeds up and down St Leonards and also, in the spaces between, living accommodation for mosses and other small plants.