[1] Piershill is adjoined by Mountcastle and Willowbrae to the south, Jock's Lodge and Meadowbank just to the west, Portobello to the east and Restalrig and Craigentinny to the north.

MacRae was City Architect for twenty years and his infill developments and reinterpretation of Scots vernacular architecture are an important part of Edinburgh's inter-war heritage.

Smokey Brae lies immediately west of Piershill, being the local name for the route to Restalrig which travels beneath the railway line.

Notable monuments include: Until 2016 Piershill Square West had a "Community Flat", run by the National Health Service (NHS).

Staffed full-time by a coordinator, with additional staff from various agencies supporting the project on a weekly basis, the Community Flat was run in partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian.