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Shetland architecture and conservation


peeriebryan
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What do you think of Shetland Architecture. Which buildings are well designed and functional, which buildings are an eyesore and which should be knocked down.

 

I reckon the old charity shop next to the Salvation Army building (opposite Frank Williamsons in Lerook) should be removed. A roostin old hulk

 

I think da lodberry in Lerook is me favourite building in Shetland

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The biggest planning disasters in Shetland surely have to be Upper Sound, Gulberwick and the industrial hotch potch out Holmsgarth Road. To give them credit, the Council’s planners are doing their best to encourage folk to think more about good design in new buildings. All too often though they hit a brick wall either when it comes to the politicians having the final say on planning applications or folk wanting to out-do their neighbour down the road by blowing their salmon/fishing millions on an even bigger six bedroomed, triple-garaged, red-roof tiled monstrosity.

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The biggest planning disasters in Shetland surely have to be Upper Sound, Gulberwick and the industrial hotch potch out Holmsgarth Road. To give them credit, the Council’s planners are doing their best to encourage folk to think more about good design in new buildings. All too often though they hit a brick wall either when it comes to the politicians having the final say on planning applications or folk wanting to out-do their neighbour down the road by blowing their salmon/fishing millions on an even bigger six bedroomed, triple-garaged, red-roof tiled monstrosity.

 

Agreed, although I'll admit I'm more than a little envious of some of these boys that got in on the old salmon/fishing bandwagon early on.

 

It's kinda like those neds who win millions on the lottery and spend it on tacky big houses, scores of quad-bikes and pissups for them and all their mates. We sneer at them for their complete lack of taste, yet deep down we all know our attidtude stems directly from our own jealousy!

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Anybody here seen the hoose in Nort Roe on the hill opposie the school, its lik an auld croft hoose we a chalet built on top of it!, looks hellish!, it springs to mind cause I wis working there yesterday.

 

Most of the Old Haas fascinate me, not sure of my favourite new house.... i'll have to think aboot dat one

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Worst: Hoofields or The Shetland Hotel. The latter once described by a famous Shetland radio personality as akin to a 60's Russian Gulag if memory serves me.

 

A house in Nibon. No idea what the name is but it is whereyou have to do a u-turn at the end of the road. It is nothing spectacular really, but it's in one of my favourite parts of Shetland. When I win the lottery I will take as many fifty pound notes as I can get in a large wheelbarrow and see if they will sell it to me.

 

I used to love Grobsness house (pre-fence!)

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I always thought that it was a bit paradoxical that the wooden clad houses currently spreading like a rash over the islands are generally seen as fitting well into the Shetland landscape. This is after all a place where no trees grow...

 

Perhaps it's just another example of some sort of cod 'Norseness'!

 

Cheers.

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Worst: Hoofields or The Shetland Hotel. The latter once described by a famous Shetland radio personality as akin to a 60's Russian Gulag if memory serves me.

 

 

The Shetland Hotel got 5th spot in the worst looking building in Scotland competition in a newspaper last year.

 

If you follow this link and go to page 5 the Chairrman of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) doesn't think much of it either. http://www.heritagelink.org.uk/Updates/Heritage%20Link%20Update%20no%2054.pdf

 

We don't notice it as residents but coming in to Lerwick from the north is pretty grim from a tourist's point of view...

 

Industrial estates (forgivable but not pretty) followed by Shetland Hotel, The Salvation Army, old Country Club, Legion, Hjaltland Housing etc....

 

All built a long time ago....fashions change I suppose.

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The Sumburgh Hotel extension. What did it take...2 weeks? a month? (i was told once, can't remember) to erect. Tis a shame really as the actual building itself is nice if you ignore the extension.

 

As pointed out, across the road from Frank Williamsons could do with being knocked down and rebuilt. The Fish Factory that used to be across from Grantfield looked horrible, good to see that is out of the way.

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The Sumburgh Hotel extension. What did it take...2 weeks? a month? (i was told once, can't remember) to erect. Tis a shame really as the actual building itself is nice if you ignore the extension.

 

As pointed out, across the road from Frank Williamsons could do with being knocked down and rebuilt. The Fish Factory that used to be across from Grantfield looked horrible, good to see that is out of the way.

 

The Sumburgh hotel extension is shocking! It's a portacabin ensemble! Lucky it's hard to see from most viewpoints. The original hotel is beautiful.

 

The country club strip could do with a revamp, but what could you do? demolish the unused bits and try to improve, whilst fitting in with the Sally Army building?

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