Immersive gallery celebrating the work of Van Gogh set for approval

An immersive pop-up ‘4D gallery’ in Edinburgh city centre featuring the work of Vincent Van Gogh is set to get planning approval.

Van Gogh Alive, which has already visited 75 cities worldwide, is set to open at Festival Square on March 17 for a four-month run.

A temporary structure is set to be constructed on the piazza off Lothian Road over the course of a month starting on February 14.

The transformed site will be home to a ‘4D immersive gallery’ which will give visitors a “multi-sensory experience”.

Also included is a life-size recreation of Van Gogh’s famous Bedroom in Arles painting and a mirrored room with hundreds of sunflowers.

Tickets are already on sale and councillors are expected to grant the 1405 square metre canopy planning permission next week.

The exhibition uses Sensory4tm technology, providing ultra-hi-resolution images of the 19th century painter’s work, which are projected onto screens around the gallery, with an accompanying musical soundtrack.

Plans, submitted by events company Active Sport & Entertainment, state: “Rather than walking around and viewing art in the traditional manner, Van Gogh Alive surrounds guests with light, colour, fragrance and sounds, which allows people to actively interact with the works.

“Building upon the recent success of the event with UK audiences, the applicant is seeking to bring the Van Gogh Alive exhibition to Scotland, and has identified Festival Square as a prime location in Edinburgh.

“Festival Square has hosted many temporary structures in the past to complement the annual festivals that take place in Edinburgh which attract both local people and foreign visitors to the city.”

The proposals will go before members of Edinburgh City Council’s development management sub committee next Wednesday, February 9.

Planners have recommended that councillors grant permission and said in a report: “On balance, the benefits of this site outweigh the very minor and temporary impact that the proposal would have on the setting of neighbouring listed buildings.

“Temporary events have been held in Festival Square, as it lends itself to such events by virtue of its scale, vibrancy and commercial nature.

“The proposed massing is designed to scale up, away from Lothian Road, ensuring that the largest massing of the structures would be to the rear of the square and avoid forming a dominant feature along the Lothian Road streetscape.”

Van Gogh Alive will be open seven days a week throughout the period of operation.

Organisers say hours will be adjusted “to accommodate demand” but clarified it will not exceed 9am to 11pm from Monday to Sunday.