Surgeons' Hall, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh

Surgeons' Hall, located on Nicolson Street in Edinburgh, was designed by W H Playfair and built between 1829 and 1832, with later additions by A F Balfour Paul in 1908-1909. This impressive two-storey building is laid out in a T-plan and showcases the Greek Revival style. It features a fluted Ionic hexastyle portico adorned with a palmette frieze and carved foliage decoration, with its columns supported by a tall screen wall. The exterior is constructed of chamfered sandstone ashlar, complete with a base course, band course, and cornice, while the rear is finished in coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. The entrance boasts a tall timber panelled door with metal studs and a consoled pediment above.

The north and south elevations each have a full-height single bay projection topped with a pediment, featuring paired Doric pilasters at the corners. Towards the rear, there are advanced three-bay sections with Doric loggias on the ground floor, including a Venetian window on the northern section. A two-storey corridor at the southeast corner connects to Nos 6 and 7 Hill Square, featuring glass and timber swing entrance doors.

In front of the building, there is a tall, channelled and coped ashlar screen wall that faces the street, which includes a pair of pedimented gateways with scrolled buttresses and a base course. The decorative cast-iron gates are complemented by a low coped wall to the west, which is topped with decorative cast-iron railings and features four cast-iron lamp standards. The windows are a mix of glazing styles, predominantly consisting of 12 and 4-pane timber sash and case windows, with some fixed stained-glass windows.

Inside, as seen in 2007, the hall boasts an excellent decorative scheme with several original features by Playfair. The entrance hall is double height and coffered with a dome, accessed through timber and glass revolving doors. A sweeping D-shaped staircase leads up, featuring a stained-glass stair window. Major rooms include timber panelling and classical fire surrounds, with 6-panel timber doors, many adorned with deep cornices. The decorative cornicing enhances the interior, while the lecture hall features an ornately decorated plaster coved ceiling and cornicing, along with elaborate carved plaster doorheads. The museum hall has a 7-bay nave and aisle plan, supported by Doric pilastered piers and a glass-coffered ceiling.