The challenge: building in the middle of the city
In the dense fabric of Edinburgh, space is a luxury. When Boroughmuir High School was given the green light to build a new facility for over a thousand pupils right in the city centre, one thing quickly became clear: there was no room left for a traditional playing field.
Yet the school’s ambition was unwavering. It wanted to give its students the same opportunities for movement, competition and outdoor play as any suburban campus. The answer was both simple and groundbreaking , to build upwards, not outwards.
The result is Scotland’s first rooftop multi-use games area (MUGA), a bold design that proves physical activity and urban education can thrive side by side.
A field in the sky
The rooftop pitch measures 32 by 19 metres and is designed to host football, basketball, tennis and a range of other games. But this is no ordinary playground. Every detail has been engineered for safety, durability and joy.
A specially designed fencing system combines strength with openness, allowing players to see the city stretch out around them while keeping the game secure. The mesh panels are layered for even rebound and wind resistance, and every component, from handrails to corner posts, has been crafted with precision.
The entire structure is finished in graphite grey, blending effortlessly with the school’s modern façade and the tones of the Edinburgh skyline. Despite the urban setting, the rooftop feels bright and expansive an island of movement and light above the streets below.
Sport with a view
For the students, the first impression is unforgettable. They climb the stairs and step out onto a pitch suspended over the city, a space where the horizon feels close enough to touch.
The panoramic views of Edinburgh’s rooftops and historic skyline transform a simple gym lesson into an experience. Whether it’s a five-a-side match at lunchtime or a casual kickabout after class, playing here carries a sense of elevation , physically and mentally.
Local parents have called it “the best school football pitch in Scotland,” not for its size, but for the freedom it represents. It’s a field where space was once thought impossible, where innovation created opportunity.
“Here, between river and sky, New Yorkers rediscover what it means to play.”
Architecture of movement
Boroughmuir’s new campus, designed by Allan Murray Architects, was conceived around openness and flexibility. Classrooms flow into breakout areas and social zones, while the rooftop field adds a final, unexpected layer of vitality.
The project is a showcase of vertical design thinking, stacking spaces for learning, play and wellbeing within a compact urban footprint. The MUGA is not an add-on, but an integral part of the school’s identity. It connects physical health with academic life, turning the entire building into a learning landscape.
After hours, the rooftop also serves as a community facility, opening its gates to local groups and residents. In this way, the school becomes more than an educational space, it becomes part of Edinburgh’s social fabric, promoting connection and shared use.
Overcoming the hurdles
Creating a sports field on a roof is far from simple. Engineers had to strengthen the roof deck, design for wind loads and vibration, and ensure safe access for hundreds of students every day.
Noise reduction was another challenge. Special sound-dampening walls minimize echoes and prevent disturbance to nearby residents. Water drainage, lighting and non-slip surfacing were all carefully integrated to ensure year-round use.
The result is a space that’s both robust and welcoming a reminder that great design is often born from constraint.
A symbol for modern education
The Boroughmuir rooftop field is more than an architectural novelty. It’s a statement about what education and cities can become.
In a time when schools are under pressure to balance performance, wellbeing and inclusion, this project shows that the environment itself can be a catalyst for change. Students don’t just learn inside classrooms; they thrive when their surroundings invite them to move, breathe and connect.
The rooftop MUGA has quickly become a symbol of pride for the school community a place where sport, creativity and collaboration meet under open skies.
Lessons for cities everywhere
The Boroughmuir project offers lessons that go far beyond education:
- Think vertically. When space on the ground runs out, new worlds can open above it.
- Design for visibility. Make activity part of the urban landscape, let movement inspire.
- Integrate, don’t isolate. Blend learning, play and community within one ecosystem.
- Turn limits into creativity. Every challenge in dense cities is an invitation to innovate.
Boroughmuir High School’s rooftop sports field proves that ambition doesn’t need endless land, only vision. With thoughtful engineering and a belief in the power of movement, even a tight city site can become a playground for possibility.
High above Edinburgh, a new generation of students runs, jumps and plays, not apart from the city, but as part of it.