Cables Wynd House & Linksview House

Energy-based retrofit and regeneration of two Category-A listed, brutalist residential towers in Leith, Edinburgh. The project puts people at the heart of retrofit, with resident and stakeholder engagement underpinning decision making and informing an approach which holistically balances energy, comfort, health and heritage.

A warm, dry, and energy-efficient home is a basic human right that should be available to all, regardless of building type, tenure, or heritage designation. In Scotland, social landlords are legally required to meet the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing post-2020 (EESSH2), which aims to eliminate fuel poverty and support the shift towards a low-carbon future. The City of Edinburgh Council have been striving for transformational change and sustainable regeneration, evident in their ambition to sensitively retrofit two iconic brutalist residential towers in Leith – Cables Wynd House and Linksview House. Collective Architecture’s design approach for this project takes a holistic view of energy, comfort, health, safety, and placemaking - putting people at the heart of retrofit. 

Built in the 1960s and home to 310 households, these Category A listed buildings were originally designed by Alison Hutchison & Partners as part of a the Citadel & Central Leith Redevelopment Area. Pioneering in their use of materials and environmental technologies such as electric underfloor heating, they now require significant investment to meet 21st-century standards.

Developed alongside in-house specialist divisions Collective Energy and Collective Conservation, the retrofit strategy takes a respectful but ambitious approach. It aims to drastically improve energy performance while diligently conserving the architectural integrity of the two heritage assets. Predicted outcomes include an 88% reduction in space heating demand and an 80% reduction in overall energy use per dwelling. To achieve this, the project adopted an EnerPHit-informed approach, based on the rigorous Passivhaus retrofit standard. This allowed for a detailed and iterative testing process, considering building orientation, site context and climate. Our bespoke Energy and Carbon Cost tool supported these evaluations, helping weigh energy outcomes and carbon reduction alongside capital and operational cost, installation complexity, and phasing - ensuring resident impact was central to all decisions. 

Although Category A listed, many individual components of the buildings are considered of neutral or even negative value. Their historical significance lies in their overall form and presence. For example, the exposed aggregate concrete cladding panels will be retained and repaired wherever possible, as they are a defining architectural feature. As such, most fabric upgrades will be carried out internally to preserve the façades. However, the stair towers and recessed balconies will be externally insulated using through-coloured render, providing the opportunity to apply a unifying colour strategy. Developed in collaboration with Professor Fiona McLachlan of the University of Edinburgh, the strategy aims to reflect each building’s unique identity and civic role while symbolising renewal. This process was inclusive from the outset, involving residents in colour workshops during RIBA Stage 3. 

As with many of our projects, meaningful engagement has been central. Residents’ lived experiences shaped the brief using our Home Standard Tool – which is based on the framework of the Place Standard, enabling residents to quantitively and qualitative evaluate their homes and buildings across 14 themes. This feedback shaped decisions around building improvements, including plans for new ground-floor community hubs. These flexible, multi-use spaces will serve residents and the wider community alike. Resident engagement will continue during the final design phase and throughout construction. This is especially important, as works will be carried out while residents remain in their homes or are temporarily relocated to vacant flats within the same buildings - an approach driven by the wider housing crisis.