Edinburgh to get its first new concert hall in over a century

Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £162 million contract by IMPACT Scotland to deliver the Dunard Centre, Edinburgh’s first purpose-built concert hall in more than 100 years.

Set in the heart of the Scottish capital, the venue will feature a 1,000-seat auditorium, a café, bar and multi-functional spaces, alongside a double basement, which will house performer changing rooms, storage areas as well as back-of-house facilities.

As part of the works, Balfour Beatty will construct a five-storey steel frame with an envelope façade of precast concrete panels. The high-quality internal finishes will include bespoke solid oak panelling to enhance the acoustic experience.

Once open, the Dunard Centre will provide a permanent home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and become a new venue for the Edinburgh International Festival, increasing access to the arts and attracting an estimated 200,000 visitors annually.

The project is expected to complete in 2029.