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Playfair, William Henry, 1790-1857 (architect)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1790 - 1857

Biography

The architect William Henry Playfair was born in Russell Square, London, July 1789. On the death of his father, Playfair was sent to reside with his uncle in Edinburgh. Professor John Playfair, mathematician and geologist and a leading figure in the Edinburgh Enlightenment, took control of his nephew's education. Following his father's profession, the young Playfair studied under William Starke of Glasgow. His first public appointment was the laying out of part of the New Town in Edinburgh in 1815.

Then, after a visit to France in 1816, he established himself professionally by winning the commission in 1817 to complete the unfinished University buildings (leaving the front as designed by Robert and James Adam). He also designed the city's Royal Terrace and Regent Terrace on the Calton Hill estate; the unfinished National Monument on Calton Hill; and, the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery on the Mound. While Playfair's most important works in Edinburgh have been executed in the Greek revivalist or classical style - earning for Edinburgh the title of 'Athens of the North' - he was competent in other styles too. He designed New College for the ten newly established Free Church of Scotland, a jagged-lined rendering of the Gothic style. He also built country houses and mansions in the Italianate and Tudor styles.

Playfair died in Edinburgh after a long illness on 27 May 1857.

Found in 163 Collections and/or Records:

Railing for Gallery of Upper Museum (Full Size), 14th July 1819

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/135
Scope and Contents Plan of the socket, section, plan elevation and detail of the railing. The whole of this railing and the brackets to be executed in the very best manner. The estimate to include the making of the patterns which must be carried with the greatest care and to the satisfaction of the architect. The brackets to be executed as soon as possible and the whole of the work to be finished, crafted up and fixed in its place by the...
Dates: 14th July 1819
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Roofing of Chemistry Class, 29th November 1818

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/92
Scope and Contents

Structural details of trusses, joints in the ceiling

Playfair writes, “N.B For the general plan of the roof to which these parts refer see drawing No. 4”

Dates: 29th November 1818
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Roofing of Museum, 5th December 1817

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/24
Scope and Contents Roofing of Museum wooden and iron details in the drawing there are many different scales: the smaller one to show the entire roofing beam and the bigger to focus on joinery details. Captions indicated the different materials and their measures. showing the wooden framework and joints showing the details of iron joints showing details of the joints between this two materials Provides both floorplan and section...
Dates: 5th December 1817
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section of Entablature of Venetian Windows in the Buildings at the South Western Angle, 24th February 1818

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/45
Scope and Contents

Section of Entablature of Venetian Windows in the Buildings at the South Western Angle

section showing the outline of the entablature showing the measurement detail of the craftsman showing the slope of windowsill

 On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen watercolour ( pink)

Dates: 24th February 1818
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section of Ionic Capitol of Columns in Upper Museum, 2nd July 1819

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/123
Scope and Contents

Detail section of Ionic volute and column in previous drawing

Dates: 2nd July 1819
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section of Ionic Capitol of Columns in Upper Museum, 2nd July 1819

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/124
Scope and Contents

Detail section of Ionic Capitol

Dates: 2nd July 1819
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section of the cornice of the Buildings at the North Western Angle, 26th February 1818

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/47
Scope and Contents

Section of the cornice

section showing the outline of the cornice showing the measurement detail of the craftsman showing the slope line on the top of the cornice

 On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen watercolour ( pink)

Dates: 26th February 1818
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section on Line ST (see in Drawing NO.3) of the Building at the South Western Angle, 9th September 1817

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/10
Scope and Contents Section on Line ST (see in Drawing NO.3) of the Building at the South Western Angle (ground floor: Practise of Physics and National History Preparation, 1st floor Chemistry Class and National History Class) texts on the back of this plan Edinburgh 24th January 1818 This is number nine of the seventy two and referred to in the contract for certain work at the college signed by us of this date and of the 14th instant (signature) Kincaid Mackenzie (Lord Provost), Peter Lorimer, John...
Dates: 9th September 1817
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section on Line WX (see in Drawing NO.3) of the Building at the South Western Angle, 10th September 1817

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/11
Scope and Contents Section on Line ST (see in Drawing NO.3) of the Building at the South Western Angle (ground floor: Practise of Physics , 1st floor Chemistry Class ) texts on the back of this plan- Edinburgh 24th January 1818 This is number ten of the seventy two and referred to in the contract for certain work at the college signed by us of this date and of the 14th instant (signature) Kincaid Mackenzie (Lord Provost), Peter Lorimer, John...
Dates: 10th September 1817
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

Section on Line YZ with Elevation of Circular Colonnade of the Building, 11th September 1817

 Item
Identifier: Coll-13/1/1/12
Scope and Contents texts on the back of this plan Edinburgh 24th January 1818 This is number eleven of the seventy two and referred to in the contract for certain work at the college signed by us of this date and of the 14th instant (signature) Kincaid Mackenzie (Lord Provost), Peter Lorimer, John Inglis (builders) elevation is simplified (compared with other kind of drawings) On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen...
Dates: 11th September 1817
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / William Henry Playfair Architectural Drawings / College of Edinburgh / College of Edinburgh: Museum, Natural History class, and classrooms for the Practice of Physic, Chemistry, etc.

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