Project of the week

Gardyne’s Land is a complex of three buildings grouped around a central courtyard. Two of the buildings, a tenement of 1650 and a former Victorian shop, face onto the High Street. To the rear is a former Merchant's House dating from 1560, whose first owner, John Gardyne, gave his name to the site. This is the oldest known domestic building within Dundee, having survived the 1871 Improvements Act which cleared much of the historic core of the city. 

When Tayside Building Preservation Trust first came across Gardyne’s Land in the 1990s, the buildings had been largely unoccupied for over thirty years. With the owner willing to dispose of them, the Trust carried out an options appraisal, and, by 1999, it had secured ownership of the buildings; adjoining properties were also purchased to help secure a scheme for conversion into Dundee Backpackers Hostel. 

Capital works completed in 2005 and the hostel continues in use twenty years’ later. Comprising 82 beds across a selection of dormitories and private rooms, along with a range of amenities, these beautifully restored period buildings provide a unique place to stay in the heart of Dundee’s bustling High Street.

“This project is a great example of how a nearly 400-year-old building can be successfully restored and adapted for a sustainable new use – in this case, becoming a key piece of affordable visitor accommodation in central Dundee.”

Jo Robertson, Grants Officer (Scotland) at the Architectural Heritage Fund