Teviot, the world’s oldest purpose-built student union, welcomed students and visitors back on Wednesday 4 March following a major renovation balancing careful restoration with modern upgrades.
First opened in 1889, the building has been central to student life at the University for well over a century. Within its distinctive facade and labyrinth of staircases and rooms, generations of students have socialised, debated politics, hosted events, celebrated milestones and made life-long friends.
Following an extensive refurbishment designed to safeguard the building’s heritage while preparing it for the future, Teviot is ready to serve a new generation of students.
Restoring an iconic building
The renovation project began in September 2023 and was led by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association in partnership with the University. While much of the work focused on essential repairs and upgrades, preserving the building’s character remained central to the project.
As Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, explains:
“This renovation was driven by the need to carry out essential repairs and upgrades to an iconic building on our campus. We have significantly improved accessibility, facilities and sustainability, while carefully preserving its heritage and character for students today and for generations to come.”
For the architects and craftspeople involved, the challenge lay in balancing historic preservation with modern functionality. Jamie Hamilton, Director at Page\Park Architects, described the project as an effort to bring together two competing priorities:
“At its heart, the refurbishment has been about navigating two distinct extremes: the responsibility of safeguarding Teviot’s rich architectural heritage, and the need to create contemporary, accessible and inclusive spaces that meet the expectations of today and tomorrow’s students.”
Familiar spaces, refreshed for the future
Students returning to Teviot this spring will find that many of the building’s best-loved spaces remain reassuringly familiar. The Debating Hall and the iconic Library Bar are among the areas that have been carefully restored, with subtle improvements that respect the building’s historic atmosphere.
Alongside these traditional spaces, the renovation has introduced new areas designed to support a wider range of student activities. The Gallery Commons, a bright and open social space, offers students a place to meet, collaborate or work between lectures. Nearby, the Gallery Café provides locally roasted coffee and quick lunch options, while The Lounge – formerly a bar area – has been redesigned as a space for students to relax, filled with sofas and with facilities for heating food brought from home.
Image credit Edinburgh University Students’ Association.
Another refreshed space is the Gallery Studio, which will host a programme of events focused on creative expression and wellbeing. Workshops and classes ranging from yoga and meditation to crafting sessions are planned, reflecting a growing focus on student wellbeing within campus spaces.
Of course, food, drink and entertainment also remain central to Teviot’s identity. Union Social, a new bar and restaurant created from the former Sports and Underground bars, has transformed the rear of the building into a contemporary entertainment venue. With live music, DJs, sports screenings and weekly pub quizzes planned throughout the week, it is set to become a lively social hub for students and the wider community.
A more accessible Teviot
One of the most significant aspects of the renovation is its focus on accessibility. Historically, navigating the building’s many levels and staircases posed challenges for visitors with mobility needs and being listed, the building needed careful solutions to make sure it could be a welcoming space for as many visitors as possible.
For the first time in its history, Teviot now offers step-free access through a new ramp at the main entrance from Bristo Square. A second accessible entrance from Charles Street Lane leads directly into a central social space, while automatic doors and an upgraded lift system allow visitors to move more easily throughout the building. Accessible toilet facilities have also been improved, marking a major step forward for a building originally designed in the nineteenth century.
Students’ Association President Ash Scholz believes these changes are crucial to ensuring the space remains relevant and welcoming for modern students, and cited student input on the renovations as being crucial to creating a building that served their needs:
“Teviot has always been at the heart of student life in Edinburgh. We’re proud to be bringing it back as an inclusive, welcoming space, and we can’t wait to see it full of life again for this final stretch of the academic year. It was really important that our students were also part of this project, that they could give their views and let us know what kind of spaces they needed, so that we could ensure that the building could provide what is important to them.”
Improving sustainability
Alongside accessibility improvements, the refurbishment also addressed the building’s environmental performance and investment in the building that would make it more sustainable long term.
New insulation and internal linings have been added to reduce heat loss, while all existing windows have been refurbished to improve airtightness and energy efficiency. Electrical upgrades across the building include LED lighting and new control systems, which are expected to reduce lighting energy use by around 40 percent.
Durable and recyclable materials were prioritised throughout the project to extend the building’s lifespan and minimise long-term waste.
During the renovation, the Students’ Association also worked closely with independent businesses, skilled craftspeople and apprentices across Scotland to restore original features, creating valuable training opportunities for young people entering the heritage and construction sectors.
A place to make memories
For many Edinburgh alumni, Teviot holds a special place in their memories of university life, with this restoration and reopening set to ensure that many more students will create their own memories within the building.
James, who served as Union President in 1964-65, remembers a building full of character:
“In those days, it was very social with the downstairs bar filled on a Saturday night with characters carousing while standing on the piano.”
Others recall the live music that helped define student life. Gillian, a graduate from 1990, remembers seeing Deacon Blue play at Teviot during Freshers’ Week in 1987 when the band was still relatively unknown:
“The gig was amazing and I’ve been a fan ever since.”
For more recent graduates, the building has been just as important. Sara, who graduated in 2014, described Teviot as “truly central to my experience as a student,” recalling evenings at ceilidhs, time spent with friends and even printing her dissertation there.
For those interested in finding out more about the history and heritage of the building, a new exhibition and audio guide celebrating the Teviot, its restoration and the Students’ Association, is now available for all visitors to explore.
Looking to the future
Beyond everyday student life, Teviot has also long played an important role in Edinburgh’s cultural life. Following the refurbishment, Teviot will once again provide a unique setting for socialising and event hire, as one of Edinburgh’s most versatile and atmospheric venues.
The building is a well-known venue during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, hosting performances each summer. That tradition will continue when Gilded Balloon returns to Teviot for the 2026 Fringe Festival, marking the return of one of the Fringe’s flagship comedy venues to its historic home.
For students walking through the doors this spring, however, the building’s significance is perhaps more personal. It is a place to meet friends, join societies, attend events and connect with others.
With its historic halls restored and new spaces ready to be filled with conversation and laughter, Teviot’s reopening marks not just the completion of a renovation project, but the revival of a building that has shaped student experiences for more than 130 years – and will continue to do so for many more.
