Question for the Scots

[LK-13]

to me it looks like the slum that "A Clock Work Orange" was filmed in.

i feel your pain, here in Canada our government keeps building Palaces and buying over priced crap to stuff them with. ($1.8 Million for a painting of 3 lines; "The Voice of Fire" or some such nonsense)

http://temagami.carleton.ca/jmc/cnews/22101999/c1c.htm

[Kilted_John]

Looks a little like the Seattle Public Library, but worse. Bletch! Also looks a little like the Experience Music Project near the Space Needle.

-J

[MacWage]

By the pics, it looks like ultra-"modern" Deconstructionist architecture. As such, it really isn't that bad. My father was in school to be an architect before he shifted over to graphic design. He still follows architect circles and he LOVES deconstructionist design.
Personally, I prefer the streamline design (what is commonly termed "art deco modern," but is actually its own thing) of the late 30s to the early 50s. The streamline modern spawned the "rocket age" classic 50s design look (actually mid 50s to early 60s). Streamline is the look used in Batman: The Animated Series (visioned as the late 20th century designed as the 1939 designers).
I have some appreciation for deconstructionist design and think the parliament building is one of the better ones.

Did I say, I don't like most of the deconstructionist design AT ALL and the better stuff (Gehry-> sp?) is applied in VERY odd choices of structures.
I would NOT have built a parliament building in deconstructionist style.

[Erisianmonkey]

Yikes! Could be worse though. Y'all could be saddled with something like the Denver art museum's new building.

It's clickable, but why would you want to?

[McClef]

Looks nicer than the Scottish Parliament!

[Richland]

WOW, is that a roller coaster on top. Good idea!

[starbkjrus]

I've read articles in British papers excoriating everyone involved in the project and the cost was indeed criminal but I'd only seen a couple of pics. The entrance and the meeting chamber.

Now seeing the whole thing gives me a sense of the true er..... well..... is spectacular hideousity too insulting? Wow!

The Denver Art Museum just looks strange to me.

[Macman]

The article on the building was featured on Wikipedia yesterday. It elaborated on the cost overruns and the meaning behind the building design. The architect passed away mid-project. I'd recommend the wiki article for those who are interested. The interior pictures look quite spectacular.

[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.