Surgical Hospital, Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh

This is a late 19th-century hospital building, constructed between 1872 and 1879, designed by David Bryce. It is an example of Scots Baronial architecture and is situated on Lauriston Place in Edinburgh. The building is symmetrical and comprises three main storeys plus an attic, with four pavilions projecting to the north and two to the south. The structure is largely built of pale, coursed bull-faced sandstone with ashlar dressings.

A dominant feature is the tall, square central entrance tower, inspired by Franco-Scottish styles, topped with a lucarned spire featuring decorative flashings. Flanking the tower are large, corniced chimney stacks. Corner bartizans project from the building, featuring water spouts and clock faces to the north and south. Inscription panels and a commemorative date stone (1729-1870) are positioned above the main entrance. The circular corner towers of the pavilions have fish-scale slated conical roofs, possibly influenced by those at Falkland Palace. These are linked by modern glazed balconies. Crowstepped gables are present between the pavilions.

The north elevation (Lauriston Place) is asymmetrical, with a central block projecting forward. The main entrance features a two-leaf glazed timber door, a fanlight, and carved panels above. Flanking the entrance are narrow, hoodmoulded windows with further inscription panels. A tall, tripartite, hoodmoulded window with a date panel is located on the first floor, and a large, tripartite, round-arched window on the third floor. Machicolation is visible beneath the clock face. Buttresses and corbelling are also present. The roof is finished with lucarned ventilators, decorative cast-iron cresting, and a weathervane on the spire. Stone-mullioned and -transomed windows are found throughout the elevation, with pedimented dormerheads in the flanking bays. Finialled, conical-roofed bartizans are located at the outer corners. Linking blocks recessed between the pavilions contain large stone-mullioned windows with shoulder arches at each level.

The south elevation is largely obscured by later additions.

The east and west elevations of the pavilions consist of two-bay gabled blocks separated by single bays, with regular window arrangements. Crowstepped gables are present on the innermost and outermost elevations, and bartizans are located at angles of the southern two bays.

The interior features framed boards with gilt lettering in the entrance hall, corridor, and stairwell. The board room retains original plasterwork and joinery, including doors, panelling, and shutters. Wards have tall windows, with a top hopper and a sash and case lower section. The building also includes cast-iron downpipes with decorative hoppers, stone skews, and grey slates.