Question for the Scots

[Phil]

Donald Dewar who became the First Minister after devolution was very much the driving force behind the building. I think he wanted something controversial and not just another anonymous looking box and he certainly got that although neither he nor the architect lived to see it. You can call it many things but boring or bland isn't one of them. It has already had to be closed once for a few months because of shoddy workmanship so it remains to be seen how long it will last.

[McClef]

The photos I have seen of the inside certainly look better than the outside.

It's staggering that despite the cost, that there should still be problems caused by shoddy workmanship. The Welsh Senedd (National Assembly) building had leakage problems with the roof - it was over budget too but by nothing like that of the Scottish parliament and in my humble opinion it is a far superior building.

[MacHenderson]

The interior shots looked kinda cool, like someting out of a sci-fi. Of course, Scotland isn't the first thing I think of when I think of sci-fi...
The exterior looks aweful though. It looks like it was scrapped together from old, torn-down buildings. Sorry that you guys have to put up with this thing over there.

[McClef]

Final decisions on architecture for public building tend to be left to "the great and the good" with very little reference to those who have to pay for it and live with it.

Maybe we are luckier in Wales as one decision for the Millennium Centre in Cardiff brought about such an outcry that the "winning" design was actually dropped.

And the Senedd Building design is actually quite popular!

[prairieson]

Oh my, it looks like Frank Gehry took an acid trip, heheh.

[MacWage]

Oh my, it looks like Frank Gehry took an acid trip, heheh.

Again, it's DECONSTRUCTIONIST (as is Gehry).
I'm just don't think a deconstructionist design is the best for a seat of government, GREAT for an art museum, library, aquarium (Georgia Aquarium), stadium/arena, etc., JUST NOT A SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

I'm not a native-country born Scot, so I'm backing out of this thread now.

[prairieson]

Again, it's DECONSTRUCTIONIST (as is Gehry).

Hence the Gehry comment.

...GREAT for an art museum, library, aquarium (Georgia Aquarium), stadium/arena, etc...

Most of the time, anyway. The museum I work at has a Gehry designed building on campus, it's affectionately referred to as "The Bunker" or my personal fave, "The Ugly Building"

Student: Where's this class at?
Me: The Center for Visual Arts.
Student: Where?
Me: The Ugly Building
Student: Ohhh! OK.

I completely agree with you about the appropriateness of it though... or maybe I'm just turning into a curmudgeonly old fart. Most probably the latter, heheh.

[Alan H]

I rather like all the wood inside, in that one shot of the parliament chamber. And actually I like the lobby.

The outside, though....*shudder*

[Pour1Malt]

sorry lads... but frae a purely design point o' view

it is a gorgeous building an a tremendous achievement...

the cost wuz ridiculous as others have mentioned...(it always is wi' govt. buildings)

but the architecture and design is terrific...



(noo... guess wha has a masters in design?... )

[MrLion]

sorry lads... but frae a purely design point o' view it is a gorgeous building an a tremendous achievement... but the architecture and design is terrific...

.
Pity it doesn't do justice to the surrounding buildings, history, view.