PORTOBELLO PROMENADE

Portobello Promenade in Edinburgh stretches for nearly two miles along the beachfront of the Firth of Forth, offering panoramic views and a much-loved recreational space.

The promenade is a vibrant, accessible, and well-used civic realm. Used year-round by walkers, swimmers, cyclists, families, dog owners, paddleboarders, volleyballers and visitors from across the city and beyond.

As visitor numbers continue to rise, the quality of the existing public infrastructure has not kept pace.  This is particularly acute in terms of social amenities, inclusive facilities and public toilets.

A public toilet block currently exists on the promenade, but it has short opening hours and is regularly closed due to maintenance and running costs.

A community led proposal has arisen to create a sustainable enterprise such as a café, social space, or recreational hub that can generate income to support the ongoing management of these essential public facilities. The aim is to make the toilets reliably available from early morning until late evening, while also activating and enriching a key location along the promenade.

The ambition is to deliver a welcoming, sustainable and accessible civic asset that serves both the local community and the wider public—supporting wellbeing, social connection, and everyday enjoyment.

COMPETITION

This competition invites design proposals for a new building or buildings, integrated landscape enhancements, and improved amenity provision for all users. Alongside a broader vision that could include a small civic hub that includes outdoor event infrastructure,

Proposals should aim to be low-cost, low-carbon, and deliver maximum community benefit through simple but generous design thinking.

Designers should respond thoughtfully to the unique coastal site, with fun at its heart but with particular attention to material durability, sustainability. The Promenade is a place to be enjoyed and we encourage a creative, forward-thinking and exciting approach to the brief. This is the first step in a wider strategy for the whole Promenade.

INFORMATION

To find out more about the competition
- brief, drawings, images -
download our information pack

TIMELINE

Competition Launch Thursday 31st July 2025 17:00

Deadline for Questions Monday 18th August, 12:00 noon

Deadline for Submissions Monday 8th September, 12:00 noon

Judging Period w/c 8th September 2025

Public Exhibition w/c 15th September

Winner Announced w/c 22nd September 2025

All deadlines are UK time (BST). Late submissions will not be accepted.

JUDGING

This is a concept ideas competition, and entries will be
judged primarily on strength of vision, community potential, and clarity, rather than on technical or detailed resolution

We will offer judging comments / feedback to all submissions

Entries will be reviewed by a panel of 5 judges

Esther Clayton

Branding expert and design enthusiast, local Portobello resident. Creative Director Vipond & Co. & Extra Teeth Magazine

Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm is an award-winning Edinburgh architect known for culturally rooted, sustainable design. He’s also a prominent policy advisor, campaigner for town centres, community empowerment, and architectural reform in Scotland.

Rory Olcayto

Writer and critic at PTE Architects London, former editor of the Architects Journal and director of #OpenCityLondon and #OpenhouseLondon. Longstanding advocate for architecture and architects.

Frazer McNaughton

Landscape architect at NatureScot with extensive experience with local authorities, developers and stakeholders developing projects and ensuring best practice for infrastructure design and implementation.

Craig McIntyre

Director of Four– by–Two, a leading interior design & branding agency, Portobello born and bred and former community council chair leading the thinking on the site since 2022.

PRIZES

This is an ideas project: we do not control the site or building itself but the community council has been in discussion with the Edinburgh City Council about this project and the intention is to build. There is community consultation work to do and it is likely the design will change through this process however our ambition is to proceed with the winning scheme / team as a live project.

A winner will be announced along with 2nd and 3rd Prizes. The judges will, at their discretion, award commendations and special mentions.

SUBMIT

This is a quick ideas competition, focused on concept and creativity rather than technical detail. We are looking for strong, clear design thinking - communicated simply.

  • Submissions should consist of 1 x A2 page, landscape format, submitted digitally

  • There is no requirement for detailed drawings or construction sections – we want great design ideas, not working drawings

  • Use whatever combination of drawings, diagrams, visuals, or sketches that best communicates your idea

  • As a guide text should be limited to 200 words - it’s a visual exercise

  • Submissions in PDF format (maximum file size: 12MB)

  • Attach separately no more than two jpeg images for promotion purposes - these should be included on your A2 - Max reslution 1500x1500px

  • All entries must be anonymous - please do not include your name or practice name on your page. Entrants should pick any 5 digit number and position this at 18pt in the top right corner of your A2 PDF this will be your identifying number which is the only info judges will see

This is a low barrier-to-entry competition intended to encourage broad participation. It is aimed at architects in their early stages of their career but anyone can enter, submissions from landscape architects, interiors, students, teams and artists are welcomed.

FAQs

  • The competition is open to everyone - students, graduates, emerging practices, experienced architects, designers, artists and interdisciplinary teams. You do not need to be registered with a professional body to enter. We particularly welcome entries from underrepresented voices and community-based practitioners.

    Entries can be submitted individually or as part of a team, and international submissions are also welcome - as long as the proposal responds meaningfully to the local context of Portobello Promenade in Edinburgh.

  • There is no need to register in advance, to enter, simply complete the form above.

  • There is no entry fee for this competition.

    It’s designed to be accessible and low-barrier, encouraging wide participation from emerging and established designers alike.

  • This is a concept ideas competition, and as such, there is no cash prize.

    Entries will be featured in a public exhibition, published materials, and online platforms, with full credit to the designers. The winning and commended schemes will also be shared with local stakeholders and we hope will help shape future development of the project.

  • We fully recognise the concerns around unpaid work in architecture and design, and we share the belief that designers’ time and creativity should be valued.

    This competition is intended as a low-effort, high-impact ideas platform - not a demand for detailed or time-intensive work. Submissions are limited to 1 A2, and we are asking only for conceptual proposals, not technical drawings or detailed resolution.

    The goal is to create visibility and access to real opportunities - especially for emerging or underrepresented designers - by keeping the brief simple, the process transparent, and the outcomes public and credited.

    This initiative is run by architects, for the benefit of the wider design and community-building conversation. We’re experimenting with a more open, collaborative, and inclusive approach to competitions - and welcome dialogue and feedback to make it better.

  • We’d love to hear from you. If you have any questions, please email us at:
    info@communitycompetitions.org

    We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

  • All submissions remain the intellectual property of the entrants. However, by entering the competition, participants grant the organisers a non-exclusive license to use submitted materials for the purposes of promotion, publication, exhibition, and documentation of the competition. This may include use in online platforms, printed materials, books, magazines, and exhibitions.

    Any use of submitted work will always be credited to the designer or team.

  • We acknowledge the importance of gender balance (and broader diversity) on judging panels, and this is something we are aiming to improve.

    In this first iteration of competition, the judging panel consists of three community representatives who’ve been leading this project and so are self-selecting. The two architects on the panel have both had an impact on us and helped catalyse the competition model.

    The team behind the project are more gender balanced.

    This is an evolving project, and we are committed to making the process more representative and inclusive in future editions. Your feedback is part of that process, and we appreciate being held to account as we build a better model.