Apartment Design & Specification
Design of the apartments
Edinburgh center is celebrated and preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site reflecting the stunning architecture. The Georgian architects designed the New town central core as predominantly large apartments which makes Edinburgh rare for a capital city in that it lacks quality Pied a Terre stock.
During Kingsford’s research it was identified a real demand for this type of city center accommodation in Edinburgh not only from occupiers but given the location that this type of accommodation would also produce great returns for investors- particularly profitable from letting for short term and holiday lets as serviced apartments.
The top floors benefit from fantastic views across Princess St, the Norloch valley to the Old town and so 2 penthouses were created on the 4th floor. With 8 Pied A Terre city apartments on the second and third floors plus another 2 bedroom apartment on the first floor with a uniquely innovative design that it can be let as either one or 2 units.
Apartments designed to appeal to:
- Owner occupiers wanting to benefit from well managed living in a prime city center location.
- Investors seeking an inflation protected “bricks and mortar” property investment with high yielding return.
- Companies who have reason to provide staff and clients with accommodation wanting a better return than utilising budget for hotels.
- Parents seeking a safe and secure apartment for children as a first time home or student base and/or as an investment.
- Regular visitors to the city who want to save on hotel accommodation by having the comfort and convenience of using their own apartment yet the ability to let it when they don't require its use to provide an attractive return.
- People with main homes out with the city wanting to establish, or retain, a city center base.
Apartment interiors and specification
At Kingsford Developments we have an interest in designing great apartments from smaller spaces. Over the last few years we have been working on a concept scheme called Urban Key as a solution to getting first time buyers into the market, which we started with input from architects in Tokyo who have become masters at using great design to optimise space. We need smaller apartments in the city, but being small doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on the quality of the living space. How do you make a more compact space a great space to live in? It’s about using dual use of space, good layout and design to make the best use of space. Optimising and enhancing natural light levels and thinking three dimensionally when considering clever ways of creating storage. The research we’ve been doing for Urban Key flowed into this development.
In considering investment return these apartments are designed to provide 4 star serviced apartment level, as research showed that in this location that should attract high demand. Effectively giving visitors the living space of a 4 star hotel suite (with additional flexibility of a kitchen) at the price of a budget hotel room.
So the design challenge was not only about achieving optimum layout but equally about balancing great styling while ensuring commercial and investment durability- hence the quality of the fittings and design detailing. For example Silestone worktops and Siemens appliances in the kitchens, Hansgrohe fittings in the bathrooms with limestone countertops and LED lighting. Buyers can expect energy efficient features such as the state-of-the-art electric heating throughout the apartments, with the building benefiting from high levels of insulation to minimise running costs. Additional design input when thinking about letting such as ensuring plenty of hot water delivered at good pressure in showers, sound insulation from secondary glazing etc. Future proofing the apartments where possible in terms of technology including integrated Cat6 cabling.
For full specification of the apartments see here
1 bed studio
2 bed apartments
