Playfair's townhouse at 17 Great Stuart Street, EdinburghPlayfair's grave in Dean Cemetery, EdinburghStatue of William Henry Playfair, Chambers Street, Edinburgh
William Henry PlayfairFRSE (15 July 1790 – 19 March 1857) was a prominent Scottish architect in the 19th century who designed the Eastern, or Third, New Town and many of Edinburgh's neoclassical landmarks.[1]
Life
Playfair was born on 15 July 1790 in Russell Square, London to Jessie Graham and James Playfair.[2][3] His father was also an architect, and his uncles were the mathematician John Playfair and William Playfair, an economist and pioneer of statistical graphics. After his father's death he was sent to Edinburgh to be educated by his uncle John Playfair. He went on to study at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1809.[2] He was first articled to the architect William Stark and when Stark died in 1813, he went to London.
In the 1830s Playfair is listed as living at 17 Great Stuart Street on the prestigious Moray Estate in Edinburgh's West End.[4] This is not a building of his own design, but is by his rival James Gillespie Graham.[5]
Playfair took David Cousin under his wing and was responsible for the latter part of his training.
Seal of Lodge St David, No.36.
Freemasonry
Playfair was Initiated into Scottish Freemasonry in Lodge St David, No.36, (Edinburgh, Scotland) on 18 January 1815.[7]
Death
Playfair died in Edinburgh on 19 March 1857, and is buried in the "Lord's Row" on the western wall of Edinburgh's Dean Cemetery, where he designed monuments for others, including Lord Jeffrey.
1817 Appointed architect to complete design work on the Old College, University of Edinburgh, on the basis of his proposals to complete the plans originated by Robert Adam. The building was completed around 1831.
1818 Commissioned to design Dollar Academy: the original building which he created is now known as the Playfair Building[9]
1820 East New Town (Calton Hill), Edinburgh (including Regent, Carlton and Royal Terraces), built between 1821 and 1860
1821–24 Royal Terrace, East New Town, Edinburgh only completed in 1860
1822 Commissioned by the Institution for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in Scotland. The building was opened in 1826 and is now the Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh
^Jaques and McKean (1 September 1994). West Lothian - An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Scotland: The Rutland Press. pp. 106–107. ISBN978-1873190258.
