Guest Anonymous Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 How do others feel about the accomplishments thus far of the Scottish parliament? Do others feel that in terms of policy is could be doing a lot more to develop Scotland as a nation and integral part of the United Kingdom? Equally, who would like to see it go a little bit further, and move towards full independence? With the good results for the Scottish economy the other day, and in particular in relation to commercial industry - is the parliament ultimately working for Scotland? I personally think that it is a good thing that we now have a devolved parliament as part of the UK. However, I am frankly embarrassed by the amount of money that has been spent on it in comparison to Wales, and also by how that beam recently fell off the roof! Can't we do anything right. In addition, it is full of generally light weight politicians since so many of our more talented individuals tend to head down to Westminster. We could do a lot better than we do. I also feel that the building - although seemingly very nice on the inside - is absolutely hideous from the outside. How anyone could come up with a design like that is beyond belief. You only need to look at the designs of the modern Australian/New Zealand Parliaments to see what we could have done. Instead we end up with a very large Council bloc!! http://www.aph.gov.au/ http://www.parliament.govt.nz/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowe Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 I personally think that it is a good thing that we now have a devolved parliament as part of the UK. However, I am frankly embarrassed by the amount of money that has been spent on it This is pretty much how I feel about it. It is way beyond ridiculous how much money went into it.Very bad planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeriebryan Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 I knew a few guys who worked on the building. They reckoned they did work in the full knowledge that when the dreaded 'men in suits and hardhats' came for their walkabouts, they would, more often than not, be asked to tear it all back down. It became a running joke that things would have to be done 10 or 20 times before 'the suits' were happy. A lot of the time the constructions were returned to the original plans after a few changes, often just for the sake of it. They shouldn't have let people with no construction experience (i.e. MPs) have a direct say in building process Too many suits spoil the broth........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njugle Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 This is pretty much how I feel about it. It is way beyond ridiculous how much money went into it.Very bad planning. And to cap it all, with the exception of the funny wiggly boat bit in the middle, the rest of it looks like an ordinary square box building with funny shaped panels stuck on the outside. I really don't like it. Design icon? Edinburgh castle is a scottish design icon, or stirling castle, or the old aberdeen university buildings, or glasgow uni.......hell! Stephen Halcrow's new hoose in Trondra is more of a design icon than tthat piece of crud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trout Posted March 15, 2006 Report Share Posted March 15, 2006 Was the problem not partly to do with the fact that the design had been decided before the site for the building was fully considered. If you look at the design of the building it would have been more suited to the open space and look of Leith, there in front of the SE buildings where it was touted to be placed. Then all hell broke loose and it was to rumble in around Calton Hill somewhere .. then they ended up settling for where it sits now next to Holyrood. The lack of space added greatly to the problems they had in building it! And yes Bryan ... I've worked on building sites where the clerk of works comes around and tells you to rip up everything you've just put down ... 'cos they've just got a new layout hot from the architects office that has to be implemented. You know, and all the people you work with know, and half the time the clerk of works knows too that it'll no be long before you're asked to put it back exactly the same way - if not to just rip it up again. Disjointed! You live with it and know that you're getting paid for it! It annoys you at first .. but you soon realise not to worry! Sad, but true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeemsie Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Was the problem not partly to do with the fact that the design had been decided before the site for the building was fully considered. If you look at the design of the building it would have been more suited to the open space and look of Leith, there in front of the SE buildings where it was touted to be placed. Then all hell broke loose and it was to rumble in around Calton Hill somewhere .. then they ended up settling for where it sits now next to Holyrood. Moralles' winning design was specifically concerned with the Holyrood site, the main premise being as a metaphorical extension of Holyrood park, among others such as reflecting Scottish National identity. Various problems were encountered throughout, and were exasperated by Morrales' death. (mainly through MSP decision making before and after) bomb-proofing glazed corridor roofs, suddenly deciding on twice the car parking space underneath, latching on to "every piece should be different" even though in his previous works he was not adverse to repetition of elements etc... basically i agree with it shouldn't have been run by the suits, but we've still ended up with a superb piece of architecture, world reknowned, modern and 'iconic' as such a building should be whatever the cost, it's only money after all and at half the price of the millenium dome, i reckon we got a bargain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I’m no architectural expert, but I’m certainly not the kind of person who clings desperately to older styles or conventions. I like to think that I can appreciate, to an extent, the creativity and craftsmanship that go into many of the radical new design concepts and imaginative solutions envisaged by modern architects. I was completely in favour of a grand and daring new building. I wasn’t even that arsed about the colossal expense it would incur, as long as it would last for hundreds of years and be a testament to Scottish engineering prowess. Each morning I pass the Scottish Parliament on the way to work and have viewed the building in its entirety from various vantage points across the city. To which end I can testify that it is, in my opinion, an utter travesty of a building which is easily dwarfed in terms of aesthetic appeal by the dilapidated “dumbie-dykes†60s style council high-rises that neighbour it. The current building is already falling apart and serves only as an eye-sore and a tribute to total bureaucratic incompetence. It’s utter failure to live up to any of the expectations one would have of such a stupendously expensive project is highlighted when you compare it to some of the real architectural gems that make up a large part of the city centre. Looking more like something that's been thrown together using cement and disgarded IKEA kits, the new Scottish Parliament is a complete embarrassment to Scotland and a snub to its proud architectural legacy. End of rant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFly Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I really like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 I really like it. You're wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twerto Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Just spent the last 10 days in Edinbrurgh.. and the building actually grew on me more and more.. but from certain angles it still looks like a concrete car park or worse.. But there is no denying it was an piss take on the tax payers money. . especially when you see what they have managed to build in Wales at a fraction of the cost. the cafe makes a fine cuppa scottish blend though as for the politics in the place.. it just makes me laugh, cry and want to burrie my head under a pillow at night. What was it Jack McConnell... he wanted every child that had a Junkie ( heroin addict ) as a parent, put into care.. hmm yes ok sound resonable but he obviously has no clue about the logistics of anything around him other than maybe how to pick up a bit of paper and pretend to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 The old school house - a building of far more architectural genius - was dismissed from the outset by Donald Dewer on the basis that it was 'too fascist'. Coming back to the Peerie Bryans points re. the men in suits, what a pity that this building was dismissed from the outset on the basis of political prejudice. Even if this old building could have been used, but also modernised, similar to what has been done to the new German Reichstag, by a British achitect I should add. Perhaps they should have employed him rather than the numskull who did it! My goodness, the Town Hall is a far nicer building that the parliament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeriebryan Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 This article in the Scotsman reveals the shoddy workmanship/incompetance that caused the beam in the debating chamber to cave in. According to some of my friends who worked on the Parliament, the whole place is poorly built. Expect more problems soon...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Ouch!......I hope the paper has got it wrong as M10 bolts are kind of small and not good for holding up big beams. Other worry I have is about what a big dump of snow could do to the roof. Might not agree with all MSPs but I do not want to see them dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styles Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 Think i will start watching hollyrood live now in the chance of some of those wind bags getting flattened by falling building, makes politics far more fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldM Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I feel the achievements of the Parliament have been reasonable enough. That is in sharp contrast to the Lib Dems and Labour Party. I don't seem them calling for immigration to be devolved. That would have an effect on a certain individual not so long ago taken away from Shetland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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