SANDWICHED between a university campus and a nearby pub, it's an unremarkable area best described as a traffic island.
But if a group of local design enthusiasts get their way, one nondescript part of the Capital could be in line for a dramatic makeover – taking it from traffic island to tropical island.
Last May, local architects helped turn the area on West Cro
sscauseway into a beach paradise as part of the Six Cities Design Festival.
Now there are plans to give the site a permanent facelift after a positive response from residents.
Project co-ordinator Alison Balmire, of local firm Arcade Architects, said: "The plan is to try to work with the local community and make it a permanent people's space.
"We got a tremendously positive response to the project last year, but it was temporary and we used things like carpet and turf. A lot of people told us to keep it like that. We only did it for three days, so it was a lot like a party or a festival event. There were local residents who had not seen each other for years who came out and met up."
Designers said they hoped to hold a series of workshops with local residents to hear what they want in the space, and stressed it would not look the same as the first project. Nicknamed the Causey, last year's tropical island came complete with palm trees, flowers, grass and recorded stories from the local heritage group.
More than 120 people were involved in the design and building of the project, and it later scooped a national design award.
Made up of artists and local residents, the West Crosscauseway Association was set up to design and build the island.
The group's chairman, Bob Hodgart, said: "It was terrific. It was very successful, even more than we could have hoped for.
"We have not decided what's going to be there yet. We're just starting the whole process of gathering ideas. At present, it's just a big traffic island. It's a dull, drab place, and we felt it had the potential to be more interesting."
Those behind the project have already begun initial discussions with the City Council.
Euan Ferguson, manager of the nearby Human Be-In bar, said he and his customers would welcome the venture.
"I think it's a good idea. It would be a great thing for business, but also in general for the area. The only problem last year was the weather. But the island attracted a lot of attention."
Last year's project was part of the Six Cities Design Festival, which saw a series of events take place simultaneously in six cities across Scotland.
The Causey received funding from the City Council, the Southside Community Council and local businesses.
The full article contains 472 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
