Rock House, located at the foot of Calton Hill, is an important site in the history of photography. It was once the home of Octavius Hill, the artist and early photographic pioneer who, alongside Robert Adamson, helped to establish the foundations of modern photographic technique in the mid-nineteenth century. The site originally included both the house and the adjoining studio where Hill and Adamson produced some of their most celebrated work.

GRAS was appointed to carry out a comprehensive upgrade of the main house, alongside the design and construction of a new structure on the site once occupied by the photographic studio. The project involved the careful refurbishment of Rock House, with sensitive internal alterations to bring the building up to contemporary standards while respecting its historic character and significance.

The new building, named The Minnow House after one of Hill and Adamson’s prints, is a compact belvedere set just below the main house. Its traditionally detailed exterior features an ogee-profile roof and finely scaled stonework, allowing it to sit comfortably among the varied architectural forms of Calton Hill. While modest in size, the interior is both inventive and refined. The octagonal living space on the upper floor offers expansive views across Parliament House, Arthur’s Seat, and Princes Street.

Designed to meet modern building standards while drawing from historic precedent, The Minnow House provides self-contained accommodation with a distinctive character. The project as a whole reflects a careful balance between conservation and contemporary design, reinstating the architectural coherence of this significant site while contributing a new, contextually sensitive addition to Edinburgh’s East End.