No Oscar for Holyrood (The Scottish Parliament Building (Edinburgh))

Member Name: weetoon

Product:	The Scottish Parliament Building (Edinburgh)
Date:	30/10/06 (461 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An important symbol .

Disadvantages: A bit of a mishmash really . . .

When the Scottish Parliament was reinstated in 1999, after a 292 years 'holiday', it needed a home. For four years, it met in the Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland whilst the new building was being constructed. From the very start, this project was plagued by controversy and difficulties. The chosen site, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, was not everyone's favourite, and some even questioned if there should be a new building. When the Catalan architect Enric Miralles was chosen for the project, the choice of an architect out with Scotland was another contentious point. The original estimate for the cost of the building was £50 million, but it ended up costing around £470 million. To add to the already troubled start, Enric Miralles sadly died of a brain tumour in 2000, before the building was completed.

Officially opened by the Queen in October 2004, Holyrood was visited by 250,000 people in its first 6 months, which to some was a vindication. However, as Margo MacDonald (independent MSP) pointed out, did it mean they all liked it?

My husband and I were among these early visitors and our feelings were very mixed. We had been in Edinburgh when the work was being done, and had not been overly impressed with what little we saw behind the security barriers. But then again, a building site is never pretty so we put those very early impressions out of our minds. We really wanted to like the new building, not only because it had cost each of us about £85 (as it did everyone else in Scotland) but because it is an important symbol for the Scottish people. Personally, I felt the whole argument about cost had arisen mainly because the original quote was far too low. A Parliament is an important official building and as such should make people feel proud and give visitors a good impression of the country. After all, Portcullis House, the new accommodation block for Westminster MPs cost £250 million, whereas Holyrood came with all necessary accommodation and functions. I think there would have been as many complaints if the building had been 'cheap'. So what were we getting for our money?

We were very under whelmed by the exterior of Holyrood. The front entrance looked to me like the front of an airport or train station. To be fair, the landscaping around the building wasn't fully finished. But what were those funny sticks on top of the canopy for? Not to protect people from the sun, this is Scotland after all, and they certainly wouldn't keep the rain away. I did quite like the pillars going through a leaf shape cut-out in the concrete; it looked like a plant or a twig and leaf, quite organic. I also like the windows on the MSPs building; they were quite quirky and fun. But other parts looked like tower-blocks with little decorations stuck on them to make them look less tower-blocky.

Ok, the jury is still out, let's go in…

We had hoped to visit when Parliament was in session, but it turns out they are mostly in recess during school holidays, so that is probably never going to happen. The visit is free, unless you wish to take a guided tour at £3.50. This lets you stand in the actual debating chamber, instead of just viewing it from the public gallery. If you wish to view a debate, it may be wise to obtain a ticket as you may not be able to get in on the day. More information on this is available here http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/visitingHoly rood/chamberTickets.htm Free entry to the building doesn't mean you can walk right in however, you first have to go through security, as you would expect.

The first place you come to after security is the main hall. This I did not like at all. It felt weighed down by the very low (or at least it seemed low) concrete ceiling, by the darkness and general gloomy atmosphere. The vaulted ceiling has strange looking crosses in low-relief which I have since found out were Miralles' interpretation of the Saltire. They didn't work for me, as they reminded me more of religious symbols which I felt had no place here. There was also an exhibition there about the Scottish Parliament, a lacklustre affair as I remember it.

To get to the Debating Chamber, visitors have to follow corridors and stairs, again drab and uninspired. The chamber itself was a different matter. A huge, bright and airy space, where oak, glass and light come together in a most satisfying manner. This is more like it! The huge ceiling looks in places like an upturned boat and is truly amazing. Again though, small details enter your consciousness after a while, little niggles that spoil the overall effect. The semi-circular arrangement for the MSPs desks is very nice, but from the gallery they remind me of something. What is it now? Oh, yes, they have a distinct IKEA look. And who chose that pattern for the carpet?

The whole visit saw me hovering between being impressed and disappointed…

Having been to Barcelona since our visit to Holyrood, I can see where Miralles was coming from (both figuratively and literally, as he was native of the Catalan capital). Many times during our stay, as we visited different places, I saw elements that reminded me of the Holyrood building. Understanding Miralles' concepts better did make the building more satisfactory. The choice of a Catalan architect was a potent symbolic gesture, as Scotland and Catalonia have similarities in their histories and political statuses. Aerial photographs of Holyrood show that from the air it is an amazing ensemble. But that is just the thing, isn't it? Common citizens of Scotland and visitors do not get to see it from the air. And its beauty and clever design should jump out at you, not require a degree in architecture to be appreciated. Overall, I think the Parliament Building is full of good design ideas and concepts, but they haven't quite come together. Despite the deliberate use of Scottish materials in its fabric, it still looks like it would 'fit' better in Barcelona. But as a symbol, I think visitors to Edinburgh should visit it, and make up their own mind. I for one will go back, to see if a little distance from the original controversy, the passing years and the final touches to the landscaping have lent Holyrood a little more substance.

Summary: A little disappointing but still worth a visit