Work finally began last week on the Dunard Centre, a 1,000-seat venue that will become the new home of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Speaking to The Herald, Chipperfield admitted the scheme would likely have stalled without the “determination” of American philanthropist Carol Colburn Grigor, whose backing has exceeded £50 million.

Appointed over eight years ago, Chipperfield said the team had been “swimming against the tide” until construction contracts were signed. Since councillors first approved plans in 2019, the budget has rocketed from £45 million to £162m. The Scottish Government has tripled its contribution to £30m, while an extra £20m pledged by First Minister John Swinney in October was matched by Grigor, a former concert pianist and one of Scotland’s most significant cultural benefactors.

Chipperfield now expects the hall to be completed by 2029. Designed for versatility, it will host classical, jazz, rock, pop, electronic and spoken-word performances. Yet he acknowledged “significant” challenges remain, particularly building on the tight site between St Andrew Square’s historic RBS branch and the St James Quarter.

Originally announced in 2016 with a 2021 opening date, the project has endured repeated delays. By 2018, it had secured £25m from the Scottish and UK governments and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Chipperfield, whose portfolio includes cultural landmarks in Greece, Milan, Shanghai and Yorkshire, described the Edinburgh scheme as “a difficult journey.” He admitted inflation and rising construction costs repeatedly threatened its viability: “Without Carol’s determination it probably wouldn’t have happened. As we tried to make the project cheaper, prices kept going up.”

Despite the hurdles, he remains confident: “The logistics have been well rehearsed. It won’t be easy, but I believe it will be finished by 2029.”

The cost has surged from £115m to £162m in just two years. Chipperfield defended the expense, calling the hall “a wooden box of international quality” with world-class acoustics: “Concert halls are expensive, but in the bigger scheme of things this is not excessive. Public projects are difficult, but they are also the most important.”